


The White Rupee

by Darken_Raichu



Category: RWBY, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:08:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 78,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25811113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darken_Raichu/pseuds/Darken_Raichu
Summary: A forced transfer to Hyrule on the day of the Vytal Festival for Team RWBY and some of their friends and enemies. As they try to figure out why this happened and if there is a way back, Remnant faces old and new challenges.
Comments: 47
Kudos: 47





	1. Worlds 1: Lights

Ruby Rose had spent the entire night working on Crescent Rose on her bed. She had prepared enough ammunitions to face anyone, and now was making sure Crescent Rose was ready, cleaning and polishing the High Caliber Sniper Scythe to perfection. _“I better make sure she is combat ready_.” She thought, then chuckled realizing she had just used Penny’s words, and silently hoped her friend was not going to be her challenger the following day. She was going to fight to win, of course, but facing a friend first would have made things more difficult. It was thoughts like these that accompanied her as she worked deep into the night, feeling more and more tired, almost falling asleep…

Then there was the burst of light. Ruby could only scream, her senses back fully operational, as a light and a strong gust of wind engulfed the entire room, cancelling everything from her sight. Ruby felt herself pulled, and suddenly realized at the end of the light was a great door. As she crossed it, she heard a voice, distant yet close, ancient yet young. _“Chosen of Tawa Jinn, Red Rose of Remnant, find your way in this world. The Blessing of Farore is with you.”_

She rolled on the ground, screaming, her Aura cushioning her from the sudden landing. Near her fell with a thud Crescent Rose, her ammunition packs scattered on the ground nearby.

After what felt like an eternity Ruby Rose, leader of Team RWBY and youngest student of Beacon, found herself finally regaining her sight. Her silver eyes looked around, scanning the surrounding area. _“W-what? Where am I?”_ She wondered, instinctively grabbing Crescent Rose in its collapsed form.

She was in the middle of a clearing on the side of a mountain. Around her were three weird constructions, large stone platforms with a depression in the center, decorated with symbols she had never seen before. Turning around, she saw a large stone tablet with unknown inscriptions. Ominously, two skulls had been placed on its sides, with some wood forging it in a crude wooden sculpture. Behind them, a ruined banner unknown to her fluttered in the wind. Behind them were stone pillars…

“Bones?” She realized with surprise. Those bones stood taller than the already tall pole of the banner, the five giant ribs of some long-gone beast.

“Yang!” She called “Weiss! Blake! Where are you?!” She looked around, trying to make sense of the situation. Her mind was screaming this was impossible, but her instincts as a huntress – in training – took control. After picking up her ammunitions, realizing that leaving them in the dirt was a bad idea, and she used her semblance to climb a nearby rock. With Crescent Rose in its gun form, she used the sniper rifle to look around and figure out where she was.

The first thing she realized, with surprise, is that she was nowhere near Beacon Academy. She could see a weird construction in the distance, like a small house covered in the same weird symbols of the platforms near her. She could also see a large lake with…

Ruby had to do a double take. In the center of the lake was sleeping what was unmistakably a giant with dark blue skin. The creature scratched his belly, apparently deep in the world of dreams.

“Right, so, giant blue Grimm that doesn’t look like a Grimm, everyone else is gone, and I have no idea of where I am.” She said out loud. Then she pinched her arm, flinching “It’s not a dream. Unless…” She pinched herself again, howling in pain this time “Fine, fine, definitely not a dream.” She pointed the sniping rifle in every other direction, but all she could see where more mountains. “Where am I?” Ruby Rose had never been an expert in geography, but even she knew that the area didn’t look like any place in Vale. Which meant… _“Am I in another part of Remnant? Did someone send me here to remove me from the Vytal Festival?”_ She had heard there were a few Semblances capable of moving people from one place to another, though she had never seen one in real life. She thought back at the portal and the voice she had heard. _“Chosen of Tawa Jinn and Blessing of Farore…”_ The two sentences were stuck deep in her mind, even though the names meant nothing to her, maybe because they were the only hints she had.

Trying to figure out where she was, she looked up at the night sky, to try and use the stars to find her location. The clouds covered most of it, the moon light covered, but she could tell something was wrong. The few visible stars looked different from Vale. _“Did they send me in the other hemisphere? That might be a problem…”_

She wasn’t in Vacuo; that was supposed to be a desert, not a lush mountainous region. Which meant, either she was worse than she thought at recognizing constellations, or whoever had moved her had sent her far from any Kingdom.

“Stranded without a map in an unknown part of the world, at least one confirmed Grimm in sight… This isn’t good. Why does stuff like this keep happening to me…” She sat down, and that’s when she heard a clacking sound from behind, like sticks beating on each other. She turned around, just in time to see three skeletons emerge from the ground. They weren’t human bones: their oversized heads, long arms, short legs and a single horn on their forehead making clear it was some sort of Grimm. What weirded her out was that all three had weapons. One sported a bow made of wood and bones, with a few arrows dangling from the back, one was armed with a sword and a wooden shield of equally crude design, and one was wielding a wooden club.

“First a giant blue Grimm, now skeletal ones with weapons? This place is really weird.” She said, unfolding Crescent Rose in its Scythe mode. The monsters hesitated a moment, and in that pause she tried to remember professor Port’s lessons on the various kind of Grimm, or better yet Weiss’ notes she had… borrowed. But she couldn’t think of any Grimm like those.

That was when the first one swung the club at her. She dodged quickly and with a quick twirl she cleanly chopped the spine of the supposed Grimm in half, the bones rolling on the ground. She grunted when an arrow hit her Aura, and with a quick movement she aimed the rifle and shot. The head of the skeleton exploded in various pieces and the Grimm fell to the ground, without dissolving. That puzzled her even more, but she put the thought aside to block the blade of the last remaining Grimm… or so she thought when a club hit her on the back, sending her fly a few feet forward.

She rolled up and with no little surprise she saw the first Grimm she had killed back on its feet, apparently unfazed by being cut in half, charging with the sword wielding one. Ruby activated her semblance, covering the distance between them in a split second, and twirled around, her scythe cleanly chopping both Grimm in half again, their bones scattering. She heard a sound from behind and turned to see a headless skeleton run past her and grab the closest head, picking it up and roaring once it had put it in its place.

“Ok, this is just weird…” Ruby said, swinging Crescent Rose towards the creature. Once again, it broke apart, but the head quickly came back to life. This time, Ruby hit it a second time with the blade, splitting the skull in half. Instantly it dissolved, leaving behind the horn and what looked like a tooth. “Ok, so, Grimm that can put themselves together unless I break the head and leave pieces behind. Neat.” The last one attacked her with another swing of the sword, but she parried the hit and decapitated the creature. The head flew in the sky. With a quick press of the button she folded back Crescent Rose in it’s gun form and shot a single round, making the head explode before it touched the ground. And with that, all three skeletons instantly broke apart and dissolved… leaving not only their weapons, but also three arms, still moving despite lacking any body. She carefully touched one, but it simply kept closing and opening the fingers without any real reaction. “It’s like a headless ant.” She noted, watching it wave aimlessly.

She picked up a tooth. There was one rule with dead Grimm: they did not leave behind anything. If they did, Professor Port would have had an office filled with heads, pelts and skeletons, instead of only tales. And yet she was holding a Grimm tooth, and a Grimm horn was on the ground near her feet. She quickly put the objects in her pocket, and started to plan.

_‘I have ammunitions for days at least.’_ She thought, counting her rounds. Ruby had prepared six magazines for the next day, and all had been dropped with her. Fifty gravity rounds, fifty fire rounds, two hundred-fifty… no, two-hundred and forty-eight normal bullets now, and fifty ice bullets. The belt she was wearing on her chest held about ten electric rounds, and searching her pockets she found one more bullet. Enough to survive for a while, provided she didn’t run into anything too dangerous. “Which means, I’m staying away from that one.” She said, looking at the blue cyclops Grimm. “Still weird that there is a blue Grimm. I wonder if Weiss will believe me…” she patted her pockets and sighed. No Scroll to be found. She seemed to recall she had it back in the dorm, but either it wasn’t transported or it was lost.

She pulled up her red hood and compacted Crescent Rose, placing it back in her place. “If I find a trail, I will eventually run into someone, and find out where I am.” She said, to encourage herself. Then she set off. A sudden gust of wind hit her, and she shivered, covering herself more.

That same gust of wind moved the clouds over her head. If she looked up, she would have realized that the Moon was not broken. But she didn’t, walking down the mountain.

-x-

The morning of the Vytal Festival, Weiss, Yang and Blake woke up to find their team leader gone. At first, they thought that the excitable redhead had left early. After all, her bed was completely empty. A quick call had showed the bubble head had left the scroll on the floor. It probably fell from her pocket, WBY had reasoned. That could be expected of their team leader.

What they had not expected, on the other hand, was not finding Ruby in the cafeteria. Or back in their room, once they had breakfast. That was when Yang started to feel something was wrong. Ruby was a dolt at times, if someone wanted to use Weiss’ words, but not to the point of just disappearing. _“Where are you, Ruby?”_ She wondered.

“So, where could the dolt be?” Weiss asked, echoing her thoughts.

“Maybe she is already at Amity Colosseum?” Blake proposed. The Faunus didn’t sound convinced though.

“You don’t believe that, do you?”

“Is just… Ruby can make some rash decisions at times, but would she really leave us behind and go away on her own? Especially without her scroll.”

Yang felt a shiver on her back. For some reason, she was worried. She knew her sister could protect herself if she had Crescent Rose – and she clearly had it, since the rifle-scythe was nowhere to be seen – but the fact the thought of her sister needing to defend herself was even coming to mind worried her even more “First let’s see if JNPR has seen her. Nora is an early bird, she might have heard something.” Without waiting for an answer, she knocked to the room in front of their own. Pyrrha opened, smiling.

“Hello.” She said, with a happy tone “Are you ready for today? The Vytal Festival is going to be quite exciting.”

“Actually, that’s not why we are here.” Yang replied, explaining the situation.

“Oh, I’m so sorry for you. Are you sure she didn’t leave a note? Disappearing like this is not like her, is it?”

“Well…” Weiss begun, but Yang glared at her.

“Not now, Ice Queen.” She said “It’s weird, yes. I have no idea where she could be, but she wouldn’t leave like this.”

Pyrrha nodded, and Nora, Ren and Jaune emerged from behind the door. Clearly, they had been listening. The blonde Hunter-in-training was the first to step out of the door “We should probably look for her.” He said “Pyrrha, you go with Blake at the fair, maybe she lost track of time while staying there. Nora, Ren, Weiss, you go to Amity Arena, she would probably go there eventually. Me and Yang will ask around Beacon if anyone has seen her.”

Everyone nodded, and Yang noted a smile on Pyrrha’s face at seeing Jaune acting like a leader. _“Gotta admit, he has gotten better.”_ She thought. There was still room for improvement, but Jaune was becoming far more adept at the role he had been assigned by the Headmaster during initiation. Once everyone was gone, he turned towards her.

“Should we ask the Headmaster, or one of the teachers?”

“No, not yet.” Yang replied. If Ruby had just lost track of time somewhere, it would have embarrassed her at the least, probably angered Professor Goodwitch so much she gave her a punishment at the worst “I will go ask Emerald and team CVFY if they have seen her anywhere today. You do the same for Sun, Neptune and... I don’t know, anyone else that could know.”

Jaune nodded and started walking in one direction, while she immediately went to the other, aiming to Team CVFY’s room. As she walked, she noticed Emerald coming her way, No Ruby in sight. She sighed. Ruby had taken a liking for Emerald, so her big sister had hoped they would be hanging together. Nonetheless, she moved toward her “Hello Emerald! Have you seen Ruby anywhere today?”

Emerald looked surprised for a moment, before shaking her head “Haven’t seen her since yesterday, so sorry.” She said with a worried look “Did something happen?”

“Yeah, we can’t find her anywhere. Seems to have vanished in the night.” Yang said. She was not surprised to see Emerald frown and look quite worried. She had always seemed nice “Well, if you see her, tell her I am going to smack her for getting me so worried.” And stormed off, leaving Emerald behind.

She made it just over a corner, and everything went red, like she had entered a pit of fire. She instinctively readied Ember Celica, but then realized she was… falling forward, for lack of a better term.

_Chosen of Kam Urog, Yellow Flame of Remnant, find your way in this world. The Blessing of Din is with you.”_ Said a deep, booming voice in her head. Then she was rolling in the dirt, coughing. She stood up, shaking her head to clean herself from grass and dirt, and resumed her guard, Ember Celica raised high.

“Come out here you sneaky asshole!” She shouted, looking around. No one in sight except for her. She was in a small clearing filled with weird statues. Around her were steep stone walls that looking up she could see were in reality a steep mountainside. The only way left was a short valley with rocks and trees, blocking her view of what was ahead. Her mind started to race wildly. Was she sent to another part of Remnant? Where? Had this happened to Ruby too? How? When?

She took out her scroll. No contact with Blake’s, Weiss’, or anyone else’s. The only exception was Ruby’s Scroll, but that was of course because she had it in her pocket. _‘Wait, that means I am out of range of the CCT. How far did they send me?’_

The best explanation she had by that point was that someone’s Semblance had sent her here, wherever this was. Yang didn’t know anyone with that kind of power, but it wasn’t impossible. In fact, it might have explained what she had seen on the train during the Breach, though she had no idea if it had even been real.

Deciding that to think about it wasn’t going to help with the situation, she walked on. _‘I swear if find whoever did this and break his legs.’_ She thought grimly. The road took her to a larger valley, surrounded by steep cliffs like the one she had left, but much larger, with a clear road and a large river. She could barely see an encampment of some kind on an island. She could not clearly see who was in there, but knowing bandits could be a problem in many locations outside the Kingdoms, she chose to lay low and walk down the road, heading west.

She did so for a while, with only a hunch to decide the direction and seeing no one except a few grasshoppers and herons, when she reached another, larger woodland and she finally ran in a man with darker skin and white hair, with a weird way of walking and bags under his eyes. She also noticed his long, pointed ears. All in all, it made her think of the dark elves from Maze&Monsters, the game her sister had made her play a few times. She liked card games more though.

“Hi.” She said, approaching him, and noticing with that his clearly overflowing backpack “Can I ask something?”

The man smiled, and made a deep bow “Why, certainly. One like you south of the old lands of Hytopia is quite the rare sight those days. Did the fame of the great Teli reach that far? In that case, fret no further, for it is I, Teli, the Guardian components hunter.”

Yang groaned internally, realizing the guy was another Professor Port. In the end, she elected to just ask. “So, uh, Teli, I am lost. Would you mind telling me where I am?”

“Of course not. These are the woods near Fort Hateno. If you continue this way you will travel through the Blatchery Plains and reach the Dueling Peaks Stable. Though that is a tough journey: there are a lot of Bokoblins in the Plain. You would do best traveling with someone else.”

Yang tried to figure out what the guy was saying. She had never heard of any of those places, and had no idea what a ‘Pokoblin’ was, though it might have been a form of Grimm she didn’t know. “Sorry if this question sounds weird, but which kingdom is the closest? Vale or Mistral?” She asked. Vacuo was a desert and Atlas a frozen tundra, so she knew she wasn’t near one or the other. Hopefully, the answer was going to be Vale.

The white-haired man blinked for a moment, in confusion “I don’t know of any Vale or Mistral, are those other human kingdoms?” He frowned “Well, this is Hyrule of course, though there isn’t any kingdom to speak of at this point. The closest would be Zora’s Domain I suppose, up in Lanayru.” He replied after a moment.

Now Yang was wondering if the guy was joking. Not knowing which Kingdom was close enough was already weird, but even going as far as to say he didn’t know the Kingdoms at all, and talking of more places she knew nothing about, was insane. “I’m sorry man, but I don’t understand. I have never heard of any Irule, or Zoras Domain, or Lanaryu. Any idea which part of Remnant this is at least?”

“Rem… nant?” He asked.

Yang’s eyes flared red and she grabbed his shoulders, pulling him up from the ground “Listen man, today was a bad day. My sister is gone, and then someone sent me away from her and my team. So, either you start speaking something that isn’t nonsense, or I show you why most criminals I have met call me sir!”

The man shrieked “I… I don’t know what you are talking about! I have never heard of any Remnant, or Mistral, or Vale! I only know…” He lighted up “Wait, wait! I know! Purah, she will know!”

“Who?”

“A researcher that lives in a lab near Hateno Village! She knows a lot of stuff! She should be able to help you! Please!”

Yang thought about it. This guy clearly wasn’t going to be any help, but this Village was probably going to be a good idea. Even if this Purah turned out to not be the right answer, a Village so far away from any Kingdom was most likely going to at least have a Huntsman or Huntress in town. And certainly, they would have a solution. “Fine. Can you lead the way?”

“At once!” Teli replied, beginning to walk, almost running. Yang followed him. She was going to figure out a way back home soon.

-

“I can’t get in touch with Yang anymore.” Blake said, her amber eyes fixed on her scroll, a worried expression on her face.

“What?!” Pyrrha asked loudly, and Blake lowered her ears slightly at the sudden outburst of sound. Pyrrha put a hand on her mouth, blushing slightly “I’m sorry. Just… You think Yang is gone too?”

Blake’s eyes narrowed as she thought. A Scroll’s signal disappearing meant either it was broken, or Yang wasn’t in the CCT reach. Since the latter was impossible, the only solution left was that the Scroll was broken. “Knowing her she probably crashed it in frustration, it happened before.” Blake replied, though she was not convinced. Yang was hotheaded, but she wasn’t stupid. A quick check showed Blake Ruby’s Scroll was gone as well, and she felt a shiver. Yang had that one as well. “Ok, this is serious. Pyrrha, call Jaune, I will call Weiss. We are going to Professor Ozpin.”

Pyrrha nodded and took up her phone, turning as Jaune responded. Blake took her own, and selected Weiss’ number… then a ray of light shot from the screen, and she felt herself fly. Or rather swim, as she found herself dragged in a great mass of water. As she traversed this shining sea, she heard a voice.

_“Chosen of Sho Kofi, Black Beast of Remnant, find your way in this world. The Blessing of Nayru is with you.”_ The voice declared, and it was both in her head and all around her. Blake found herself land on her knees on a large platform, next to a small building of unknown nature. She sputtered, but there was no water in her lungs, despite how she had felt just moments ago. She shakily stood up and took out Gamble Shroud, her Scroll falling to the ground as she did so. The screen cracked, and Blake grunted. _‘Just what I needed.’_ She thought, looking around. She was on a small clearing, with nothing but the building and a few trees next to her. A great river flowed between the mountains in front of her, and a bridge, decorated in a style she did not recognize, was right to her left, down the slope she was on. She looked down. A barely visible pathway headed to the bridge, near some rocks, including a weirdly colored one. And weirdly shaped…

She took out Gamble Shroud and shot. The bullet hit it’s mark, and a blue creature that looked like a human sized chameleon with a sword stood up. Blake frowned. Grimm did not use human tools, and the color was wrong, so how could that be a Grimm? The creature however was snarling and roaring like any Grimm would, futilely extending his tongue and waving his great sword. She thought for a moment. “Can you speak?!” She shouted. The creature just continued snarling “Leave now, or I will shot you!” She shouted again. The only response was the tongue extending once more. _‘Dammit.’_ Blake thought. The creature was clearly aggressive, but was also clearly intelligent enough to wield weapons and hold a grudge. What if she was about to shot something that wasn’t dangerous without harm?

Her doubts were however quickly stopped. A tall creature, somewhere between two and a half and three meters judging at a glance, with the head shaped like a shark, emerged from the nearby river and immediately impaled the creature with a swift hit of his trident. The creature roared in agony, then disappeared into darkness, leaving behind only a horn and the sword. The fish-like creature looked up at Blake and smiled, showing a somehow reassuring look despite his enormous, sharp teeth. “You can come down now, I took care of the Lizalfos.” Blake nodded, picking up her now cracked scroll, and took a step ahead “Watch out, rain makes the rocks quite slippery, don’t…” the tall fishman continued, but Blake simply jumped down, quickly using one of her shadows to stop her fall. “Oh.”

“Never seen a Grimm like that.” She said, picking up the horn “And I’ve never heard of a Grimm that leaves behind a piece of his body.” She looked up at Sidon, deciding he was definitely close to three meters tall. “Thank you. You are quite peculiar as a Faunus.”

Sidon laughed, a booming, cheery laugh, and looked at her with that same secure smile “I am not a ‘Faunus’, whatever that is. I am a Zora. Prince Sidon of the Zora, in fact. A pleasure to meet a…” He frowned, looking puzzled “A human, this far south?”

Blake lightly touched her bow, confused. This Sidon seemed convinced of what he was saying. Were Zora some sort of aquatic Faunus? Or was this Sidon just that ignorant of his origin. She looked at his trident. No dust chambers or any way to transform. A weapon from the time of the Great War, or even older. Somewhat of an oddity, but she knew Jaune, who had a similar simpler weapon. “I’m Blake. Sidon, I am lost, could you help me go back to Vale? If you know of anywhere where I can get a Scroll repaired, I can probably call for help.”

‘Prince’ Sidon seemed puzzled for a moment, before he shook his head “Well Blake, I don’t know where this ‘Vale’ of yours is, but my father is old and wise, he can certainly help. And our smith is skilled, I am sure he can fix your ‘Scroll’. Unless of course it’s Sheika tech.”

“I don’t know what a Sheika is, but I can say this is made by humans.” She responded.

“In that case, I feel confident he will make it. Just, watch out. Some of our older folk can be… grumpy, with Hylians and other humans.”

Blake nodded, though she did find it ironic. Pretending to be a human was meant to let her blend in and hide her heritage, yet now it was going to make her stand out again. _‘Though if these Zora look all like him, perhaps I would stand out either way.’_ She looked at the giant with an interested look. He was… handsome, in his odd way. Confidence brimmed from his whole presence, and he clearly was sure there was nothing to fear in the region for him and her, so long as he was there.

-x-

“What do you mean she is gone?!” Weiss shouted, worried sick.

“I’m sorry! I turned one moment to call Jaune and the next she was gone!” Pyrrha replied. Weiss could hear she was as worried as her. “She was calling you, didn’t the call come in?”

Weiss checked her scroll, but there was no lost call. It wasn’t like Blake to not do something she had said she would do, so whatever had made her disappear must have really taken a second.

“Ok, listen Pyrrha, we meet up at Ozpin’s office, fast. We need to inform them. See if you can find Jaune as well.” She said. One thing was Ruby disappearing, two Yang doing the same, but now Blake too? It was too much. She felt Ren’s hand on her shoulder, and she begun to calm down. “Thank you.” She said, the ninja’s Semblance taking effect.

“Don’t mention it.” Ren replied.

“Yeah, is no big deal.” Nora said “Come on Weiss, let’s go. We need to take a bullhead back to Beacon.” Nora added, walking ahead. Weiss and Ren followed the redhead to the embarking area of Amity Arena. The large machines were mostly letting people out to the Arena, rather than into it. One of them, Weiss noted, was Emerald Sustrai.

“Emerald!” She shouted, walking forward “Can I ask you something? Have you seen Ruby, Yang or Blake today?”

“I met Yang earlier. She said Ruby seems to be gone, is that true?” She asked.

“Where?!”

“About two hours ago, in the corridor. She said her sister has vanished earlier today.” Emerald replied, confused “You still have not found her?”

“Yes, but now Yang and Blake seem to have vanished as well. We can’t figure this out! Is not like them!”

Emerald took a double-take “Wait, you mean all of your teammates are gone?!”

“Yes! We are going to tell Professor Ozpin. Can you keep an eye out for them while we are there? If any of them shows up send them to us.”

“Good idea.” The girl said. Weiss could tell she was thinking about something else, then added “I also told the rest of my team. If they find out anything, we will know.”

“Thank you!” Weiss said, “I appreciate it so much!”

“Don’t mention it. What are friends for if we don’t help.” She added with a smile.

Weiss thanked her profusely before her, Nora and Ren took the bullhead back. The last she saw of Emerald was her taking out her Scroll, probably to tell Cinder. She smiled _‘Good thing we made some friends. Thanks to Ruby, I should add.’_

“Thinking about it, this means CVFY doesn’t know about the situation, right?”

“I’ll go tell them, if you want.” Nora said.

“We probably shouldn’t go around alone.” Ren replied “In fact, if what happened with Blake is any indication, even losing sight of each other is out of the question. So no, we should all stick together.”

Weiss nodded, and Nora did the same after a moment. They walked on to the Professor’s office, meeting Pyrrha and Jaune on the way. Jaune informed them Neptune and Sun had not seen any of the girls, but were going to look for more, and Pyrrha said none of them were at the fair, including Blake. Weiss nodded, her heart beating faster from the fear. Where was everyone? What was going on? _‘Ozpin would know. He must know something!’_

She, Ren and Pyrrha crossed in the room first, knowing Jaune and Nora were right behind… and then there was a swarm of feathers. Red and purple, all over them. Weiss felt herself float and then land. A voice echoed in her head. _‘Oh, Chosen of Tena Ko’Sah, White Snowflake of Remnant. You will be given Champions to accompany you. May the blessing of Hylia lead you to save both worlds.”_

Then, Weiss, Ren and Pyrrha stumbled on the ground near a small temple surrounded by ruins and, more in the distance, flat mountaintops. Off in the distance, a weird rock formation was visible, and above it what looked like some sort of flying machine. They only had a second to process all this, before a bubble of black goo appeared and burst open next to them. With loud coughing and sputtering, Emerald Sustrai looked at the three, as confused as they were.


	2. Worlds 2: Doubts

“Emerald?” Weiss asked, helping the green-haired girl stand up “What happened?”

Emerald looked up at Weiss and then glanced at Pyrrha and Ren, both busy looking around. “I was at the arena. Then there was this black liquid, or it felt like that, and then…” She suddenly jumped up, looking around “Where are we? My fight is supposed to start in just ten minutes!”

“Is what we are trying to figure out too…” Ren said, then suddenly perked up, pointing down the road. The three girls looked down to see a great, hulking figure. A long snout and a single, ivory horn emerged from his blue body covered in weird symbols. The creature was holding a makeshift spear, apparently made of wood and bone, and a metallic shield covered in sharp spikes. It was also wearing a ruined pelt around his hip.

“Is that a Grimm?” Asked Emerald.

“Maybe? I don’t know what else it could be. Though I have never heard of a Grimm using weapons and clothes.” Pyrrha replied.

“An Arma Gigas can wield a sword if it has one.” Weiss pointed out, touching her scar with a finger in reflex “Is not impossible to imagine other Grimm doing that.” She replied, “I guess the question is if we should take it out or try to avoid it.” At that moment, they noticed a second one further ahead, armed in the same way. “Well, them.”

“I don’t think we have a choice.” Pyrrha replied, “The only path seems to go that way, and if we want to find other people we probably don’t want to just wander aimlessly.” She explained this pointing to the pathway that extended from the temple where they had appeared and continued westward. It was barely visible, and at times disappeared outright, but they could manage to follow it.

“Ok then.” Weiss replied “Ren, Emerald, you two distract them with your gunfire. I will take the closest down. Pyrrha, can you take the furthest one?”

The invincible girl nodded, followed by Ren. Emerald hesitated a moment “Are you sure it’s wise to move from here? We don’t know what brought us all to this place. If we stay here…”

“I doubt that whoever did this is going to just bring us back,” Weiss replied. Emerald glared at her, and she continued “I mean only that it’s very unlikely. If someone took the trouble of bringing us here, why would they then just bring us back without any reason?”

Emerald nodded at that, then looked at the two monsters “Fine, I’ll take them from the right. You take them from the left.” She said, pointing at the cliff above the path. Ren nodded, and the two started to quietly move in position.

At her signal, they unleashed a storm of ammo on the best. The creatures quickly rose its shield to cover from the respective enemy’s barrage, but that left them open when at unison they switched target. _‘So they aren’t that smart.’_ Weiss thought as she jumped forward. She dodged a blow of the lance using a Glyph, stabbed the creature multiple times in the gut with quick thrusts, and with a second Glyph used as a platform she hit at the monster’s neck. The creature gurgled as Myrtenstar pierced its throat from side to side, and fell to the ground, quickly beginning to disappear.

Weiss looked at Pyrrha to prepare herself to help her fight the second one, but the Javelin form of Miló wal already embedded through the enemy’s head, the creature falling backward and disappearing. The Invincible Girl really was amazing. Weiss took a step forward… and something squished under her heels. She looked down to see what looked like a grey liver and shrieked taking a step back.

“What is it?” Emerald asked. Then, both she and Ren followed her gaze. They both moved closer, before recoiling at the reeking smell. “Is that… its guts?”

“But that’s impossible.” Ren replied, “Grimm never leave anything behind.”

“How do you explain the horn and tooth then?” The green-haired girl replied, pointing at the two other objects in the grass she had just noticed.

“I…” Ren begun, then noticed Pyrrha moving closer, holding a similar tooth and horn in her hands.

“So it wasn’t just me.” She said, putting them down “I left the other thing there, I doubt anyone minds.” She said, and everyone shook their head. Looking around, they also noticed the spears and shields. The spear was roughly made, a pointed stick barely worth a glance. On the other hand, the shield, although battered and scratched, was still a decent work of craftsmanship, if rough.

“So, any chance we just ran into an unknown Grimm?” Emerald asked, though it was clear she doubted it.

“The color was completely wrong, it was using weapons and left those behind.” Pyrrha replied, putting the objects in her pockets “If a Grimm like this existed, it would be revolutionary.”

“So we all agree this thing wasn’t a Grimm, despite vanishing like one.” Weiss said, “I guess we can add it to the list of mysteries of the whole situation.”

Everyone nodded, moving to continue on the road, only to look in surprise at what appeared to be a hastily built wooden fortress on a great dead tree. Two tall guard towers, crudely constructed with wood and cloth, were around it, with a group of what looked like giant chameleons manning it. They hadn’t noticed them yet, but it was only a matter of time. A quick scan revealed to Weiss and the others that they were wielding weapons, including bows.

“Do we take them on too?” Ren asked, preparing StormFlower “Bandits can be nasty, but I don’t know if we can avoid them.”

Emerald shook her head “I think we can sneak by.”

“Can we? The road is pretty open.”

“There are bushes over there. We can probably sneak quietly down the road. I don’t think they will come after us even if they spot us from far away. By the looks of it, they are defending this place rather than ambushing people. It’s the only reason to have a fort like that this far away from any road worth watching.” She said while pointing to the vegetation on the right side of the road “We just move quietly, and stay ready to react if things go wrong.”

Weiss and Pyrrha looked at each other for a moment, then nodded “Lead the way.” Pyrrha said, and Emerald started sneaking. The other three followed her silently, taking careful steps to cover themselves at best with the vegetation.

Then, Weiss stepped on a tree branch. For a second, she was sure that the chameleon on guard duty had noticed her, because he looked right at her, and silently prepared Myrtenstar. Just then, however, the chameleon looked in confusion her way for a second, then returned his attention to the pathway. Weiss silently thanked the Brothers and continued walking. She heard Emerald sigh in relief as well _._

With that, the group made it past the fort.

-

“Do we have anything, Glynda?” Ozpin asked, deep in thought, his hands on his face. He moved them and looked at Jaune Arc and Nora Valkyrie. The two remaining members of Team JNPR were still understandably in shock. To be honest, so was he. Three students had disappeared right before his eyes as they entered his office in a burst of light. That was not a sight he had appreciated.

“Miss Rose never left her room from the door,” Glynda explained. He looked at the Huntress. For most people, she might have looked calm, but Ozpin knew she was worried and tense just by her tone “The cameras in the corridors never filmed her doing so.”

“So she disappeared while in her room.” Ozpin said, deep in thought “And no one entered that same room, I assume.”

“Once again, not from the door. Someone might have made it in or out from the window, though I doubt her teammates wouldn’t have noticed.”

Ozpin nodded “I doubt it. If this required someone’s presence, miss Nikos, Weiss Schnee and Lie Ren would still be here. What about miss Xiao Long, miss Belladonna and miss Sustrai?” He thought of how worried Leo was going to be once he found out. Emerald Sustrai, one of the students from Haven Academy, had never shown up to her team’s fight, which had meant a disqualification despite her team leader’s insistence they could make it even without her. Ozpin had rarely seen someone so angry and could understand the reason. After all, there were only two chances to take part in the Vytal Festival during someone’s career.

“Miss Xiao Long disappeared in a way similar to what we saw. She turns a corner, a camera filmed her, but the camera on the other side only filmed a blur of red light, like that of a fire, and she never shows up again.” Glynda quietly explained, showing him the images. Ozpin noticed mister Arc’s grip on his sword grow tighter. Of course, knowing his friends were disappearing was hitting him. Miss Valkyrie looked lost, a shadow of her usual confidence. That worried him even more. “What about miss Belladonna?”

“Blake Belladonna disappeared at the fair, and so far, we haven’t located any image of the moment.” A tall, black-haired man said entering the room. Ozpin smiled seeing James Ironwood, headmaster of Atlas Academy and General of the Atlesian Army. Glynda’s expression, on the other hand, turned sour, even more than it was already. “We are scouting social media and any public video we can find to see if anyone posted a picture of it, but the chance seems slim.”

“I thought you were going to search Amity’s cameras for information on miss Sustrai, James.” Ozpin said, “I take you found something?”

That was when he noticed a change in James’ expression. He seemed to become uneasy, something the Headmaster of Beacon had rarely seen from him. “Yes.” The Huntsman replied almost in a whisper, after a moment, “But I believe it would be best to keep it between us.” He added, glancing at the two Huntsmen-in-training sittings nearby.

Ozpin was almost going to tell them to leave when mister Arc stood up “I want to see.” He said. The Headmasters and Glynda all looked at him in surprise. Before Ozpin could respond, Nora Valkyrie shook herself back up and nodded “I’d like to see it too.” She said.

“I would advise against it.” James replied, but Ozpin raised his hand.

“If they have made their decision, I will not stop them.”

“Ozpin…”

“That’s final James.” He said. The Headmaster of Atlas sighed and put his Scroll on the desk. A video showing miss Sustrai appeared. She was walking alone to the Arena, probably to reach her teammates. Then, under her feet, what appeared to be a large blob of pure darkness started to, for lack of a better term, absorb her. Before she could react, her legs were already trapped. She launched one of her weapons, the chain scythe lodging itself in the wall, but the blob just pulled her in more and more. A large red eye with a slit pupil emerged from the darkness, and miss Sustrai kept disappearing steadily. In desperation she pulled so hard her weapon got free from the walls, then it was sucked in along with everything else. After a moment, the blob and the eye disappeared.

Ozpin had to admit that, in his long existence, not many things had shaken him quite as much. He glanced at James, now understanding his unease. Glynda wasn’t even trying to hide her real emotions, a look of terror in her usually composed face. Miss Valkyrie and Mister Arc were both hyperventilating, and after a moment they both fell to their knees. Mister Arc was crying, he noticed.

“Glynda, take miss Valkyrie and mister Arc back to their rooms and make sure all the students and Professors are accounted for. Make sure also to inform miss Sustrai’s team of what happened to her, in… kinder terms than this video would. James, you should inform the Council. Possibly miss Schnee’s sister too.”

“Yes, of course.” James said, taking back his Scroll “What about you Oz?”

“I have my own calls to make. Their parents and caretakers need to know.” He said. Informing Qrow was going to be hard, but what he really dreaded was informing Taiyang. The man had left his group after losing his second wife, miss Rose’s mother, and now he had to inform him his daughters were missing too. That was a kind of call he did not like to make. Especially because of the monster one of those had created.

-

Ruby Rose sliced at the blue pig-like monster with Crescent Rose. The Scythe cut the creature cleanly in half, leaving behind, as she had come to understand, what all the Grimm of that bizarre region did: a horn, a tooth, and sometimes what looked like their heart.

Her experience so far had not been the best. She had found out that there wasn’t a single giant Grimm on the mountain, but all kinds of them. Besides another giant sleeping, she had also found the smaller bipedal pigs. Judging by their look, they were the ‘living’ version of the ones she had fought before.

Defeating them had given her a few horns and teeth. The reason for why they were left behind when the rest of the body vanished was still unclear to her, but she happily put them back in her pack. She did not pick up the beating hearts though, she wasn’t that desperate for a trophy. After a while she found a large, isolated tree in the center of a pond. _‘Probably my best choice for a bed tonight.’_ She thought _‘Good enough to hide me from most Grimm.’_ She quickly inspected it to make sure there were no Nevermore Chicks in sight, and then used her hood as a cover to protect herself from the cold. She looked up at the sky, but the clouds were covering it completely now. _‘It will probably rain tomorrow.’_ She thought, before falling asleep.

The following day, she woke up at noon. It wasn’t that surprising, considering how tired she had been, but she had still admonished herself. It was one thing to sleep in Professor Port’s class once in a while, another to oversleep while alone in Grimm territory. Still, nothing had happened, except for her hunger growing after hours without food. She jumped down the tree, looking at the sky carefully. It was still covered in clouds, but no rain. No Nevermore Chicks in sight either, which was slightly unnerving. There was something that didn’t add up about her situation, even if she was trying to not think about it. She hadn’t met a single Grimm she could recognize or found any tracks of their presence. She had not seen a Beowolf, a Nevermore, or any other of the kind of Grimm she knew were supposed to exist everywhere. The only Grimm were those weird ones that were distinctly of the wrong color and had weapons. If they didn’t disappear, she would have doubted they were Grimm at all. And yet, they also didn’t disappear right, leaving behind pieces of their body.

At that moment, a gut-wrenching scream interrupted her thought. A quick look down the southern slope showed her a dirt road she had not noticed the night before, and near it a man screaming for help while another of the blue pig Grimm attacked him. He was running desperately, but it was clear it was only a matter of time before the mace of the creature found purchase in his back or worse in his head. Even if he had Aura unlocked, which she doubted, she had noticed that the attacks could pack quite a punch.

She quickly aimed her sniper rifle. It really was that guy’s lucky day, since she couldn’t imagine anyone else coming to help. She fired a single shot. The bullet found its way through the creature’s skull, launching it backward. As she expected, it did not dissolve, but before it could stand back up she fired a second shot that took it out. She then jumped down the slope, using Crescent Rose’s recoil to stop her fall, and ran to the startled man, now calming down.

The first thing she noticed was the pointed ears that made him look like an elf from Maze&Monsters. His chin was quite long, and his temples were evident due to his thin physique. He was wearing a shirt and shorts and had long black hair, similar to Ren. The men took a deep breath and sat down “Than you, that Bokoblin hunts around here periodically, but I usually notice it. This time I was caught by surprise.”

“Don’t worry.” Ruby said with a bright smile, making a note of the name ‘Bokoblin’ “That’s just a Huntress’ job.”

The man looked at her in confusion for a moment, then shook his head “Quite a brave huntress, to hunt down monsters. But yes, thank you.” He took out a small box and smiled “I don’t have much to offer, but here, have this.” He said, handing her what looked like three rice balls with meat. Ruby knew about that kind of food. It was a common Mistral dish. _‘Maybe I am somewhere in Anima after all.’_ She thought as she took a couple bites. Suddenly, she felt her Aura grow. She had lost a bit in her fight with the Bokoblin, but she could swear it was coming back far faster than it should have.

“Uh, what…” She looked at the rice ball and realized she had eaten it entirely without thinking. Her grumbling stomach reminded her of why. She had not eaten in a long time and was starting to get seriously hungry. She looked back at Regan, who was studying her. “Did you know that your Rice Balls recharge Aura? Is this a Semblance?”

“Aura? Semblance?” The man seemed surprised “What’s that?”

 _‘Oh, so it’s THAT kind of far off village.’_ She thought. Her father and uncle had told her of how many villages were so isolated the concept of Aura and Semblances was fully unknown. Thinking about it, Jaune had mentioned he came from one of those places. “Well, it doesn’t really matter. Anyway, know any village nearby? I’ll need a guide to Mistral or at least to a village with an airship.”

Regan seemed confused for a moment “Well, Lurelin Village is not that far off. They have a lot of fishing boats, though no ‘air-ships’ I have ever heard of.”

Ruby sighed. Of course, it wasn’t going to be that easy. Whoever had sent her there wanted her to stay “Can you lead the way? I’m not the best when it comes to directions.”

The black-haired man pondered the question for a moment, then nodded “Well, you saved me. This is the least I can do.” He replied, “Not that my main job is giving me much luck anyway.”

“What’s that?” Ruby asked as they started walking, curious.

“Oh, it’s actually a pretty recent idea I’ve had. See, after the Great Calamity, a lot of wreckage has been lying around. I search through it to find anything precious to sell.” He pointed at the broken cart on the side of the road “I swear there must be something useful around here, but I can’t find anything.”

She nodded, though she really didn’t understand the reasoning behind it. The ‘Great Calamity’ was probably the Great War, but she doubted anything worth scavenging was left from it. “And what’s with the Bokoblin? Are they common Grimm? I never heard of one that uses weapons and shields.”

"Bokoblins are problematic monsters around here. They ambush travelers and merchants, and either kill them or make them pay a fee. There is a big base of theirs west of here, from where the ones in the Plain come.”

“Wait, they are intelligent enough to run a toll?” She asked, confused. That did not align with Grimm at all. They had no desire except to kill and destroy. They would never bother with a tax.

“Oh yeah. They can’t speak, but they can make up for it. Their boss is a Black Bokoblin, and he is the one that calls all the shots. Once he finds out you have killed one of his kind, he will probably hunt you down. Though that will have to wait. The Blood Moon was just a week ago, the Bokoblin you killed won’t return before another one comes.”

Ruby tried hard to rationalize it in some way. Was this a set of folklore? But the more she thought about it, the less she could find a logical explanation on what the guy was saying. _‘Where in Remnant am I?’_ She wondered as they continued on the road towards the village. There, she would finally put to rest the doubt she did not have the bravery to voice.

-

“What do you mean you have no idea what a Grimm is? A Beowolf, An Ursa, a Boarbatusk, a Nevermore?”

“Mh… Doesn’t really ring a bell.” Teli replied “I don’t understand all this stuff. You keep asking about Dust, Aura, Semblances, and I have just no idea what you are even talking about. Old Hytopia must be a land of wonders if all humans have this kind of thing.”

“Just… I…” Yang had almost no idea what to say. Sure, backwater villages with no concept of Aura or Semblance existed. But to not even know Dust or a Grimm was absurd. “How did you survive so long without Dust?”

“Well, so long as Calamity Ganon is sealed in the Castle, the monsters will keep returning, but they won’t have orders to take us out. Is why everyone is thankful for the Seal.”

Yang continued thinking. The guy had no idea what Remnant was. No concept of Dust. The Grimm were called just ‘monster’. And apparently believed in some religion about a monster closed in a castle she had never heard about. All this was ridiculous.

Then Teli stopped her with a small movement of his arm, pointing to their left. They had just passed a small stone bridge and were now next to a boulder and a tree. And beyond them were two pig-like Grimm, one blue and one red, armed with farming tools. The man took a few steps back “I forgot the Blood Moon was just the other day, the road wasn’t cleaned yet.”

“Not sure what a Blood Moon is, but I can take care of those two.” Yang replied, Ember Celica sliding in position. The two creatures charged forward, and she punched. The smaller, red one was sent flying backward, tumbling on the ground and disappearing in a pop of black smoke. She dodged under the Farming Hoe of the blue one, now clearly enraged, and went for an uppercut. The creature recoiled in pain but brought down the Farming Hoe. Yang’s Aura took the hit and she smiled when her follow-up punch, powered by her damaged Aura, sent the blue foe fly into the rock and disappear as well.

Teli clapped “Wow. I guess there is a reason you have made it all the way here. Those weapons of yours look pretty interesting.”

“I designed Ember Celica to take care of far stronger Grimm. Those two were no match.” She replied cockily, as the gauntlets retracted back in their resting form as bracelets. “Now let’s go. How long before we make it to this Hateno?”

“Probably a day or so. A bit less if we sleep only a few hours.” Teli replied with a grin “If we had a horse we could go a lot faster, but I never found the appeal and I suppose you don’t have one.”

“Yeah. So one day it is.” She replied. ‘One day and I can find my way home.’ She thought. But she also felt that idea in the back of the head. That idea that something was wrong. That this didn’t look like the world she knew.

-

Cinder heard the door opening and prepared herself to slap Emerald. She had cost him the match and possibly her entire plan. However, the person that came into the room wasn’t her. Professor Glynda Goodwitch walked in with a serious look. Cinder quickly retracted her hand, wondering if she had noticed.

“Miss Fall, Mister Black. What about your other teammate?” She asked.

“She is out looking for Emerald. Peon was very worried.” Cinder explained, trying to appear as innocent as possible. In truth, she was the one that had ordered Neopolitan to find Emerald and drag her back, even by force if necessary. Neo had obliged more than happily.

“I see. Please, call her back. I fear she won’t find miss Sustrai anywhere near Beacon.” The Professor replied.

“That means… You know what happened to her?” Cinder asked, a hint of suspicion in her voice.

“It’s… classified. Suffice to say, we have had several disappearances on campus we are investigating.”

“I heard Ruby… I mean, Ruby Rose was gone too.”

“Yes, we fear miss Rose was just the first of a series.”

“Who else... Who else is gone?” Cinder asked, worried.

Glynda looked at her, and luckily she mistook her worry for her plan with worry for other people. Or at least that was why Cinder thought she said her next line “I can only say Team RWBY and part of Team JNPR have disappeared, in a similar way to Emerald Sustrai.”

Cinder gritted her teeth. She knew of course about team RWBY and team JNPR both being removed from the roster at the last moment, but she was surprised to hear that so many of them were gone. Last time Emerald spoke to her, she had informed the half-Maiden that only three members of team RWBY were missing. She had hoped Team JNPR was just going to be added back once the search was done.

“Well, as I said, please call back miss Tolian as soon as possible. We are worried about students moving alone.” Glynda continued. There was an unspoken hesitation when she said alone. As soon as the professor left the room, Cinder grabbed her head and sat on the bed.

“So… What’s the next move?”

“You go find Neopolitan. I will take care of something else. Knock when you come back.” She replied, venom in her voice, and he immediately jumped up and left the room.

She closed the window, locked the door, and opened her scroll. Accessing the relevant files from Ironwood’s Scroll was a matter of minutes, and she found the video of Emerald’s disappearance. It was… disturbing, even for her. _‘Was it Salem? No, if she had this kind of power she would have already used it on someone else.’_ The other videos in the folder were about the disappearances of Yang Xiao Long, Weiss Schnee, Lie Ren, and Pyrrha Nikos. Both videos were of little use, aside from the fact they made it clear there was a difference between Emerald and the others. They vanished in a flash of light, not absorbed by pure darkness.

Cinder shook her head. With Xiao Long gone, she needed a new plan. One that could be used without Emerald’s Semblance, her trump card. Now denied her best asset, her only choice was to do with Neopolitan and Mercury Black.

At that moment, she felt something move under her bed, and a chill moved down her spine. She took out her bag, and she opened it. The Seer burst out and Salem’s voice came in.

“Cinder, my dear Maiden. I hear there is a problem in Beacon.”

“How…”

“A new associate of mine has informed me he had to borrow one of your. Which was it?”

“Emerald has disappeared if that is what you mean.”

Salem’s eyes narrowed “Ah, so she has. A pity, she could have been useful. I have already informed him I will not allow such actions anymore.”

“If I might ask, what happened to her?” She asked. She didn’t truly care about Emerald, but the idea a new member of Salem’s inner circle had just stomped over her plans was angering her deeply.

“She was brought to a different place. I believe eventually she will be returned if she survives, but until then you will have to do without her. I’m… displeased too. Unfortunately, this new associate offers enough to me to make it worth keeping our connection going. Speaking of which…” The Queen of Grimm smiled, sending another shiver down Cinder’s back. Ally or not, Salem was terrifying “I will send to Beacon some new pawns to help you. While they won’t make up for losing your Emerald, they should be valuable. Expect them tomorrow, or the day after. Depends on the Nevermores carrying them making it to Forever Fall.”

Cinder nodded, and the Seer went quiet, before returning to its place in the bag. She quickly closed it and put it back under the bed, just in time for someone to knock on the door. She opened it, thinking she would find Mercury and Neopolitan. Instead, behind the door were Nora Valkyrie and Jaune Arc.

-

“So, how long for this Zora’s Domain?” Blake asked as they passed under the bridge, looking at the first rising stars. She had to admire the strength of the Prince. If she had taken the road, she had noticed many more Grimm of the same weird kind, the ones Sidon insisted on calling monster. Instead, they had just taken the river, with her perched on the back of the Zora. They only met Octorocks on that pat, weird water Grimm that was able to launch rocks of her size like cannonballs. Luckily, Sidon was far too fast for them to aim properly. They easily sailed up and down the river, sometimes running in rapids he easily jumped like a salmon.

Speaking of which, Blake could see the waters were filled with so many fishes. Salmons and trout were the main ones, and she couldn’t help but hope the Zora had a few. ‘If they even take Liens. Otherwise, I might have to fish and cook them on my own.’ She thought. There was something decidedly odd about the entire situation. None of the monsters looked like Grimm should. They were colored, for one, and wielding weapons. They also didn’t just mindlessly attack villages like normal. Sidon had made a sad laugh when she had mentioned that Grimm were attracted by negative emotions. His response to her confused expression had been that if that was true, Zora’s Domain would have been long gone.

“Not much, we just need to pass the waterfall. Grab on tight.” He replied. She was surprised for a moment, then saw the Waterfall rapidly approaching. She wondered if there was some sort of passage behind it or something, but that was when she understood why the Prince had told her to grab tight. The red Zora kept going, speeding up, and once he reached the waterfall he just swam vertically. Panicking, Blake did as he had said and grabbed his head-tail in a tight grip, hoping it didn’t bother him too much.

When they made it to the top, she could not help but feel relieved. She looked up at the sky… and saw the full moon, freezing on the spot. If she wasn’t holding herself, she would have probably fallen backward then and there.


	3. Worlds 3: Moon

“What is it?” Teli asked, noticing the expression on the human girl’s face. In response, Yang pointed at the Moon.  
  
“The moon is… not shattered.”  
  
“Well yeah, that is what the Moon looks like.” The man replied, with a confused look.  
  
“No it doesn’t! What do you mean ‘it looks like that’?! The Moon was always shattered! No matter how back you go in history, we have never found a depiction of a normal moon! It happened before humanity started recording information!” She shouted, unable to contain herself, her eyes burning red.  
  
The Hylian took a step back “Listen, I have been wondering this for a while, but are you alright? You keep mentioning words that mean nothing or stuff that isn’t true. You keep talking of Grimm and Semblances, Dust and Aura, Lien and Mistral, and look surprised every time I mention I don’t know anything about it.”  
  
Yang took a deep breath “Just… Give me a moment.” The blonde-haired girl’s thoughts raced wildly. _‘This isn’t Remnant. There is no other option, this isn’t Remnant. It’s some other… place? World? Dimension? Brothers, what does that even mean? Am I really in some other world?’_  
  
She looked at Teli, and she must have looked miserable, because the man took a step forward, against what his instincts were clearly telling him “Listen kid, you must be confused. I get it, traveling can be hard. Take a rest. We will be in Hateno tomorrow.” Yang thought he looked a lot more mature than he had on their first meeting. He had obviously dropped the juvenile act he had put up before.  
  
“You think this Purah can help me?” She asked.  
  
He looked uncertain “I don’t know what your problem _is_ , exactly, but she knows a lot. If there is someone that can help you, it’s her.”  
  
Yang sighed, sitting down under the tree. According to Teli, they could just sleep in turns, so they made a campfire with some branches and set up camp, in a small wooded area near the road. Teli had bought eggs and milk from a merchant that traveled with a donkey. That was when he had paid not with Liens, but with a completely different currency made of green crystals. That whole discussion on what a Lien was, and her discovery she had no way to use them, had hit her right before the moon had appeared from behind the mountains. A moon with no signs of being shattered.  
  
She looked up at it again. The unshattered moon looked like a giant eye staring back at her. She wondered what she was even doing in that place. Who had brought her there?  
  
She looked at Teli “Do you have any idea who Kam Urog is?” She asked “Or maybe who Din is?”  
  
The man pondered the question, though he seemed to be pleased to have answers to give “Well, I don’t know any Kam Urog, but of course I know Din. She is one of the three Golden Goddesses. The faith in them was never as strong as the faith in Hylia among us, since they are even more ancient than she was, but we still are loyal to them for creating the world and gifting us the Triforce.” He frowned “Though that was really a poisonous gift. I believe the Gerudo are her main worshipers.”  
  
Yang thought. _‘So, this Kam Urog chose me and gave me the Blessing of Din…’_ She thought “Where do those Gerudo live?”  
  
“Off in the southwest. You need to cross the Dueling Peaks and brave the wild of Hyrule Plain, continue through the Gerudo Highlands and cross the Gerudo Desert. It’s a long way, it would probably take you weeks without a horse, maybe more if you run in some strong monster.” He replied, but when he heard her groan he quickly added “Though sometimes you can just run in a traveling Gerudo.”  
  
“How do I recognize one?” Yang asked, perking up at that.  
  
“Trust me, you will. They are tall, muscular, have a dark skin, long air, and dress in a way most Hylians would find indecent at worst and weird at best.” He commented, with a chuckle.  
  
Yang nodded. _‘After this Purah, I guess my best bet is meeting those Gerudo, if they are really connected with Din.’_ She thought. It was a long shot, but she didn’t have any other ideas. She touched her pocket, and felt the two Scrolls. _‘Are you here too, Ruby?’_ She wondered, her eyes finally turning blue again _‘Are you scared?’_  
  
-  
  
Ruby shouted loudly as she dodged the Black Moblin’s spear and hit with Crescent Rose. The beast growled but surprisingly did not fall, rather kicking at her and sending her flying backward. Ruby stood back up. This one was stronger than any of the monsters she had fought so far.  
  
Worst still was the rain, making the ground slippery. It had started in the late afternoon, and hours later was still not stopping. They were trying to rush for a place Regan knew where they could rest until the rain stopped, and maybe eat something, when the Black Moblin had appeared. More likely, he was sleeping nearby and they had woken him, but that didn’t matter.  
  
What mattered was that the first thing he had done was hit Regan with the staff of his lance before he could say more than ‘A Black Moblin!’ After that, the man he had remained still on the ground. Ruby didn’t see any blood, but that was of little relief. Even getting swatted by that spear, without Aura to protect him, could have been enough to…  
  
Ruby dodged a thrust of the makeshift weapon and turned around to chop off the arm with an upward cut, but the Moblin was fast, despite his size. The weapon just barely managed to cut off two of his fingers, and in exchange Ruby was hit by the spear in the stomach. She coughed and flew back, managing to stand back up.  
  
“This one is a bigger deal.” She mumbled. She dodged an attack and responded with a few shots the monster took square in the chest, before jumping back on the offensive with a quick slice to the head. The creature’s horn flew away, but the beast returned the blow. Crescent Rose barely blocked the attack in time, then Ruby responded with another slice that finally chopped off the monster’s left arm. The beast growled and went for a kick, but its body was unbalanced and he lost his footing, leaving himself open for a finishing stab to the chest. Ruby didn’t even watch it dissolve in a cloud of dark smoke, before running to Regan. She sighed in relief finding him alive, even if badly wounded. In a panic, she took him. She still had enough aura to carry him, even if not with her Semblance. Lurelin was supposed to be ahead, and following the road they would hopefully run into someone.  
  
With that thought in mind, she started to run.  
  
-  
  
Zora’s Domain was not what Blake had expected. She had thought it would be a large village, and in a way she was right, considering the Domain was the size of a town rather than any city, but the architecture was incredible, and so were its inhabitants. Tall spires of a luminescent materials, stairs and plazas finely crafted, and a general sensation of calm and quiet relaxation.  
  
However, that was not the feeling the inhabitants were giving. She looked at the elderly Zora that were keeping an eye on her as she was sitting on a bench, waiting for Sidon to come back. Their glares were clear, even if she didn’t know why they looked at her like that. They wanted her out of the Domain, the sooner the better. _‘So no matter where I am, I will always get in this situation, uh?’_ Blake thought sadly, looking up at the sky.  
  
The large moon, almost full, was unbroken. That sight had confirmed all her craziest doubts, the ones she had kept in the back of her head as silly fantasies. She really wasn’t on Remnant. She was somewhere else, with no way to go back. _‘Even if Sidon’s father somehow knows something about my situation, is there really a way back?”_ she pondered.  
  
She looked at the fountain in the center of the plaza. It depicted a female Zora wielding a trident. It was a real work of art, and she wondered who the subject was.  
  
“She was beautiful, wasn’t she?” A voice said next to her. She turned to find Sidon, his three meters of height looking down at her with a sad smile “My sister Mipha was one of the Champions of the Kingdom of Hyrule. She could heal people with a single touch and fight with her trident like no other has ever done.” He sighed “Then, one hundred years ago the Calamity struck, and she perished.” He concluded “I’m sorry Blake, I just want to explain you my people don’t hate you. Is just that the elders blame the Hylians for the death of my sister. Even after a century, they haven’t forgotten.”  
  
“A hundred years?”  
  
“Indeed. The lifespan of a Zora extends to three hundred years and more. I am one hundred and fifty years old.” He explained, like he was telling the Faunus he was twenty. He laughed noticing the surprise in her eyes “I take you didn’t know that. Yes, we take about one hundred years to become adults. See that kid over there?” The Prince asked, pointing to one of the children sleeping in a pond nearby “He was born almost sixty years ago.”  
  
She did her best to hide her shock. _‘So I am in a world where there are fish people that live for hundreds of years. Good.’_ She thought. As she followed Sidon, she looked around. The younger individuals, those that might have been around Sidon’s age, smiled at her when she looked at them, some even waving. The oldest, on the other hand, just mumbled something as she followed the stairs to the throne room.  
  
When she entered, she looked at the King in awe, unable to help her surprised expression. King Dorephan, as Sidon had called his father, was at least five meters tall, and she didn’t doubt the sixth was not out of question. Looking like a human whale, the King observed her. “Welcome.” He said “It is unusual of Sidon to bring a guest. He says however that you are in need of help. So, what can I help you with.”  
  
Blake nodded. She had already decided telling the truth was the best course of action. She needed answers, even at the cost of sounding crazy. She needed something certain, or she was worried she would start to go insane.  
  
-  
  
“So, this is another world.” Pyrrha said, staring at the sight. She watched the night sky above the clearing, home of unfamiliar constellations and the large full moon.  
  
“I… guess so.” Emerald whispered. Pyrrha could feel her unease, because it was the same she was feeling. Not knowing what to say, she just moved towards her, sitting next to the green-haired girl.  
  
“Are you… ok?”  
  
“Ok?!” Emerald shouted “How can any of us be ok?! We are lost in what we think is a different world! We don’t know where we are! We don’t even know how we got here! So no, I am not ok!” She grabbed her shoulders, and Pyrrha noticed her trembling. She put a hand on her shoulder.  
  
“Listen Emerald, is going to be fine. There are four of us, maybe seven, maybe even more, together we can find a solution.” Pyrrha said, although she knew she sounded unconvincing. After all, she was.  
  
“And how is that going to help? I don’t even have Cinder here!” She said, before standing up suddenly, like she had been bitten by a bug, freeing herself of Pyrrha’s arm.  
  
“You miss her, don’t you?” Pyrrha asked. Emerald looked away.  
  
“Cinder saved me. I owe her too much to lose time stuck here. She needs me. _I_ need her.”  
  
Pyrrha nodded “We will find a way back. I promise you that. You are not the only one that wants to see our friends once more.” She said.  
  
Emerald shook her head, then just walked away. Pyrrha watched the Mistralian girl storm off and shook her head. _‘Jaune and Ruby would know what to do. How do I convince someone it’s going to be all ok if I don’t believe it myself?”_ She gazed at the crackling fire and opened her Scroll. She watched the video she had sent Jaune just the day before, and wondered if she should have said more. She didn’t even know if they were ever going to see each other again.  
  
“I can’t believe they don’t take Lien!” Weiss shouted, walking in the light of the campfire with Ren behind her, five fishes in his hands.  
  
“I take you managed to buy food anyway.” Pyrrha replied, while Ren silently started to prepare the fishes – some variety of trout – on the fire. The two had spotted a merchant travelling down the road, and had left while Emerald and Pyrrha set up camp.  
  
“Yes, we gave him the horns and teeth. Apparently they are worth something. Almost makes me wish we took the guts too.”  
  
“Almost.” Ren added absentmindedly. Pyrrha looked at him, wondering how he was doing. Weiss knew, or at least they all suspected, that the rest of Team RWBY had been transported to this… world… before. On the other hand, Nora and Jaune were not with them. As far as they knew, they were still in Remnant. Ren and Nora were inseparable. She doubted he was taking too well the forced separation, and could barely imagine how Nora was taking it.  
  
“Ren, if you need to talk…” She started, but he shook his head.  
  
“Thank you Pyrrha, but I am fine.” He replied, in a tone that did not allow any reply “Let’s eat and rest. We are going to need it for tomorrow.”  
  
The camp went quiet for a while, before Weiss looked at them. “We have found some new information.” She said “Though I don’t know how much it will help.”  
  
“Well, let’s hear it. It’s more than we had before.”  
  
“We are in a place called Hyrule. This region of the world is called Tabantha, and we are in the south of it.” Weiss explained “If we continue north, in two days we will reach a place called Rito Village. The merchant wasn’t really clear on what a Rito is, he just made it clear they aren’t human, have something to do with birds and are generally friendly.”  
  
“And if we go the other way?”  
  
“We reach a place called Tabantha Bridge, where we find a stable. After that, there is nothing but wilderness and ruins until you travel far enough to reach the next stable.”  
  
“So we are going north, right?” She asked. Everyone silently nodded, and that ended the conversation. What they would do after reaching Rito Village was an open question no one wanted to answer.  
  
-  
  
Emerald stared at the mountain, the light of the moonlight shining on her, and then activated her aura and punched. The stone cracked like a cannon ball had shot it, and she looked at her fist in horror.  
  
She thought back at what she heard in the black mass. _‘You are the weapon gifted to me by the Queen of your world. Do not struggle child. Just execute the orders. Find Master Koga and the Yiga Clan. Destroy the Heroes of your world and mine. I gifted you with something as my foes have done. Do not disobey. Do not struggle. It is futile. Remember, your Queen is powerful, but I am superior to any other.”_  
  
She took off one of her gloves, her fingers trembling, like she hadn’t done since she had arrived, because she feared what she would find under it. With her aura activated, she watched as, in blood red, a symbol of three triangles forming a larger one, the one on top darker, appeared on her skin. She felt a sting, like a bug was biting her in that point, and winched.  
  
In that moment, blue goo emerged from the ground, forming in the shape of three giant slimes. The creatures looked at her curiously, rather than with rage. After a while, she could not handle it anymore, and punched. She punched, and punched, like she had never done before. One by one, the creatures disappeared, exploding in smaller pieces, round bouncy balls that rained on the ground. Emerald did not care. She didn’t know what they were, and she just did not care. All she knew was that she was in another world, with creatures she did not understand and people she hated, on the order of some entity that had separated her from Cinder. She carefully put the glove back, and screamed.  
  
She screamed because she feared what was happening. She screamed because her only benefactor was not there. She screamed because she wanted to be back. She wanted…  
  
Then she sat down and went quiet, tears streaming down her eyes. _‘Am I still useful to you, Cinder? Or where you the one that threw me here?’_ She asked, not wanting to think of the answer.  
  
She never noticed Pyrrha and Weiss coming near her and gently taking her back to the camp. She just fell asleep, a dreamless night that spared her of more thoughts and fears.  
  
-  
  
Ozpin was alone in his office, looking at the documents they had collected. Despite James’ best efforts, no image of miss Belladonna’s disappearance had emerged from the web. Perhaps there truly was no picture left.  
  
His afternoon had been hard. First, Winter Schnee had marched into her office, slamming her hand on his table. The usual collectedness of the firstborn of the Schnee Family was gone, replaced by a fierce anger. She demanded explanations, but he was barely halfway through when Qrow had entered his office as well, drunk like he had rarely seen him before, which was absurd since the man was always drunk, and had covered him in insults for losing his nieces, to a point where Ozpin almost felt the need to either hide under his desks or hit him with his cane. He managed to do neither and calm him down.  
  
The following explanation had not made anyone happy. He had tried to spare them the video of Emerald Sustrai’s disappearance, but somehow James, a man that calling tightlipped would have normally been an understatement, had somehow revealed the video’s existence to Winter Schnee. Perhaps it was proof of how shocking it had been for him too, or perhaps of the faith the man had in the Specialist. Whatever the case, after watching the video, both the Huntsman and the Huntress had stormed off. _‘And tomorrow Taiyang is coming too. Brothers, how do I handle him?’_ He wondered. He was almost happy Jacques Schnee had just promised a lawsuit.  
  
He took a deep sip of coffee and moved to look at the transcript of the General with the Council. To say they were displeased, even after James had promised to have two more Specialists come to Vale to tighten security, was an understatement, although he regretfully noticed they mostly lamented the loss of three team for the Vytal Festival and the breach in security. He could not help but mutter a curse at the complete lack of apparent interest in the fate of seven children.  
  
 _‘Is this really what I wished to build?’_ Ozpin wondered. Once, he had on his fingertip the possibility of conquering the world, if so he wished. But he had already tried doing so long ago, in his second, cursed life. Instead, he had removed the crowns and formed the Councils. He truly believed that was the solution to the request of the God of Light, more than a single King ruling over all. _‘If only Salem’s problem was half as easy to answer.’_  
  
He pondered for a while if she was involved. The kidnapping of Emerald Sustrai was in her style, her magic warped by the Grimm liquid of the God of Darkness might have looked like that. And yet, had she wielded such power, she probably would have used against him, rather than a random student of Haven Academy. _‘Perhaps she thought she was a Maiden? No, it isn’t like Salem to act without certainty of success.’_ That had been his only advantage. Salem played the long game because she believed she would ultimately succeed, that no matter how many of her underlings were vanquished, she was invincible. A little part of Ozpin knew it was true, for him at least.  
  
His thoughts were stopped by a sudden light. He instinctively gripped his cane, but the light did not absorb him. Instead, it placed itself on his desk, and after a moment, it disappeared, leaving behind a sword and a note.  
  
With trembling fingers, Ozpin opened it, reading the letters written in what seemed to be gold.  
  
 _‘Chosen of the God of Light, Ozma the Eternal, it is with shame that I must admit my part in taking the Heroes of your world into mine. I had need of them, for otherwise the world was going to become but a lost memory, where only a man wanders, but I know this is of little consolation. Instead, I give you this sword. Find a wielder for it, and the loss of the people I took will be less of a burden.’_  
  
The note disappeared as soon as he finished reading it. The sword did not, but when he tried to draw it, he found it stuck. _‘So I must find a specific person. This Deity gives me quite the task.’_ He thought. He really wished Deities would stop to choose him for their quests.


	4. Blake 1: Zora

Blake took the glass of water Sidon gallantly handed her as she finished telling her story. It had taken quite some time, because she had to stop numerous times to explain concepts the King was curious about and unfamiliar with. She didn’t really mind, but it made the story extend for a longer time. He showed particular interest in Aura and Semblances, and even convinced her in showing her own. She did it, though she kept quiet on her use of Dust. Though she trusted Sidon enough to trust his father too, the Faunus wasn’t about to reveal everything to someone she had just met.

“A world of Humans and Faunus plagued by monsters called Grimm we have never seen before and with abilities we can barely comprehend. If I hadn’t seen you use it, I wouldn’t believe you.” King Dorephan commented.

“Your majesty, you cannot seriously believe this nonsense.” The other Zora in the room besides the royals said. Blake had barely considered the elder with the head shaped like a manta ray before, but she had clearly been wrong in doing so.

“Why not, Muzu? Do you have a better explanation to what she is saying and what she has showed?”

“A good liar with a magic trick. Hylians have lied to us before, humans can’t be that different.” He said.

Blake looked at him. _‘So you won’t trust humans…’_ She took a deep breath. Even if she had mostly moved over her feelings, what she was about to do would still take some courage. “King Dorephan, are there anything like Faunus in your world? Besides the Zora, of course.”

“Well, there are the Rito, who are bird-like in appearance, to the north-west, but nothing like the variety of the Faunus, no.” She nodded, and took off her bow. Both Sidon and Muzu gasped in surprise, but the King had no visible reaction, besides the same interested expression of before. She moved the cat ears to make sure they could not doubt the fact they were real, then nodded. “I am not a human, but a Faunus. I hope this is enough to prove my story.”

Muzu muttered something under his breath, but Sidon just smiled encouragingly. King Dorephan nodded “Yes, I have never heard of people with cat ears, so I can only assume you truly are telling the truth.”

“And… can you help me?”

King Dorephan went silent, his mind deep in thought. “You mentioned the voice said you had ‘The Blessing of Nayru’, is that correct?” He asked. Blake nodded “Nayru is the Goddess of Wisdom, and we and the Rito are her closest followers, like the Hylians and Sheika for Hylia or the Gerudo and Goron for Din. I know of many legends about her. People blessed by her are usually considered among the wisest of their generations. I must admit, that makes me rather interested in what you are going to do.”

Blake almost felt like laughing. She had made so many bad decisions in her life, she would have never called herself smart, let alone wise. “Are you sure you are not mistaken?”

“If I had any doubt, the mark of Nayru on your right hear would have taken it away.”

Blake blinked, and King Dorephan raised an eyebrow “So I take you never noticed in your time here.” He looked at Sidon “I believe we still have Mipha’s hand mirror in her room. Bring it here.”

“Your majesty…” Muzu started, but King Dorephan raised his hand.

“It’s only to show her, Muzu.” He replied with a stern look. Once more, the elderly Zora grumbled, but King Dorephan ignored him. Soon enough, Sidon was back with a beautiful hand mirror made of silver. Blake used it to look at her cat hear, and stared in disbelief. Where before her fur was perfectly black, now it had a blue symbol on it, three circles in a triangle shape with three crescent moons inside holding them together.

“Even if I truly am Blessed by Nayru, what does that mean?” She asked once the shock was gone, though she found herself touching her hears only to confirm that, indeed, the fur itself had turned blue, rather than the symbol appearing on her skin alone.

“That is a good question.” King Dorephan said “First of all, I must admit with you I don’t know how to send you back. I have a hunch this isn’t unexpected to you.” Blake slowly nodded. While the confirmation was hard to accept, she had expected it from the moment she had realized this wasn’t Remnant. “However, I am interested in what happened to you. We have tales of travelers from other worlds making their way to Hyrule, or vice versa. The names of Termina and Lorule are not lost. But those stories are so ancient we have no way to even know if those worlds exist anymore let alone how to move through them.” He pondered his following words for a longer moment “For now, you are welcome to stay in Zora’s Domain. It’s a peaceful realm, and I believe you will need some time to recover. I believe my son has found you yesterday and between traveling here and waiting for our meeting you haven’t yet slept. It’s almost dawn, you should do so.”

“I will accompany her.” Sidon offered with a grin.

“Good. I will rest myself and then find out more to help.” King Dorephan replied.

Blake bowed “Thank you, King Dorephan. I don’t know how I can repay your kindness.”

The enormous Zora smiled amicably “There is a way, but we will discuss it tomorrow. Have a good rest.”

She looked at him in surprise, but the King did not add anything else, so she made to follow Sidon. However, when she turned, the King coughed “And, Blake Belladonna, I suggest you cover your ears while you are here. Even if they weren’t unusual enough to rise many questions I doubt you want to answer, the Symbol of Nayru is clearly visible. Until we know what it means, caution is advisable.”

“Oh, of course.” The Faunus replied, putting the bow back in place with the help of Mipha’s mirror. She then handed the object back to Muzu, who snatched it grunting something, and Blake left. The last thing she heard from the King was him asking his chancellor to find him some old legends about the ‘Hero of Time’. She wondered why.

Sidon accompanied Blake up some stairs in a great tower, shaped like a fish and with a weird appearance that made it look like it was made of metal as much as stone. She followed him up and up, until they finally reached a large room. Surprisingly, it wasn’t in the best condition, unlike most stuff she had seen in Zora’s Domain. The great mirror was rusty in various points and the dresser was covered in holes from termites and humidity. He pointed her to a bed and smiled. “We used this room for guests like the Champion of the Hylians. It’s been out of use for a century at this point, but I made sure it was cleaned and freed of bugs.”

She nodded and looked at him “Thank you.” He bowed, smiled encouragingly at her, and with that he walked away. She closed the door, took off Gambol Shroud and all the clothes she didn’t need to sleep, sat on the bed. She stood there for hours, thinking, unable to take her minds off her problems. She wasn’t one to cry, her usual response to problems was… different, but she felt on the verge of doing so multiple times. Instead, however, she kept going in circles about what had happened. The night was deep when she finally closed her eyes.

-

When she woke up, Blake did not feel rested. It took her brain a moment to register the situation, the large, alien room leaving her speechless for a moment before she remembered what had happened the day before. If she had any doubt it could have just been a dream, her broken Scroll and the lack of the rest of her team more than made up for her doubts.

She stood up. Looking at the sky, she couldn’t have been asleep for more than four hours. She grumbled and dressed, then walked outside. _‘I need to do something, anything, or I’ll go insane.’_

She walked in the large corridor and followed the stairs down the great spire that formed the royal’s castle. She had to wonder how King Dorephan could walk in it, considering the stairs were clearly not large enough for him. _‘Perhaps he just sleeps in the Throne Room.’_ She thought. She kept walking down until she finally reached the bottom and opened the door. Dawn had just passed, and besides a few guardsmen and workers no Zora were walking around in the plaza from the day before.

She looked around, wondering where she should have gone next. She made her way down a couple stairs to the main plaza and looked around. The market was already open, she noticed, something that surprised her a bit. However, it seemed a good place to start as any.

Walking in, she observed what they were selling. Mostly food, like trout and grain, but weapons were present too. She observed arrows and what looked like… _‘Ice Dust arrows?’_ She wondered. She took one up and touched it lightly, feeling the object freezing her skin on contact. _‘If it’s not Ice Dust, is basically the same. What does this mean?’_ She wondered, continuing to try and figure out the object’s nature.

“Hello, may I help you?” A voice behind her asked. She almost lost her grip on the arrow for the surprise, but managed to turn around and look at the male Zora. He had dark blue scales and seemed to be older than Sidon, though she realized that was hard to say with them.

“I was wondering what this is.”

“Oh, that’s an Ice Arrow. It’s a good weapon. We aren’t archers like the Rito, but we still use it. If you are interested, that would be twenty Rupees for arrow. Only eighty if you buy a set of five.” He explained simply.

“And how do you make the arrowhead?”

“That’s a secret!” Shouted a voice from the back of the shop. She noticed an elder Zora busy tinkering with some stuff on a table, some sort of metal judging by the shining appearance. The Zora clearly shared every older Zora’s opinion on outsiders. “Only a true artisan can master the skill to produce Ice Arrows. No one else!”

“At least the materials can’t be a secret…” Blake begun, but the elderly glared at her, clearly meaning to end the argument right there.

The shop owner sighed “Well, you heard him. No idea how they are made. If you want…” But she was already walking past him, heading straight for the elder. Up close, she was shorter than him, though not as much as she was of other Zora. Although, being hunched, he probably was a lot taller when standing upright.

“I need to know what you use. Please. Is it some crystal? At least answer this!” She said. It was her first serious hint of some connection between home and this Hyrule, she couldn’t just let it go.

The blacksmith took a deep breath, resigned to answer or be interrupted further “Sapphires. You can find them in the mines of Eldin. I have a deal with the Goron to bring them here. After that, you work them carefully and shape the arrow. Is that enough for you?” He asked, then mumbled something on humans that she was sure would have been offensive and turned his back to her, returning to work.

“How far is this Eldin place?” She asked to the other Zora, the shopkeeper.

“About a week of travel, maybe a bit more. It’s very dangerous if you want to take the shortest route, you’d basically have to get really close to Hyrule Castle. You’d probably be better off taking a detour through Akkala at least.”

“You would still run into a lot of Monsters, maybe even the Yiga Clan, not to mention the heat of Eldin.” Another client commented, walking to the Zora with a few Trout in a basket “You are better off just buying them from some merchants, unless you want to get some arrows in the face.” He explained, while he handed the Rupees to the shop owner.

Blake thought to herself. The Sapphire was the first hint of a possible connection between the two worlds. “Are there other arrows like those, but with different effects?”

“Oh, sure. Thunder arrows, Bomb Arrows, Fire Arrows…” The shopkeeper explained “But I don’t have those. The former is unusable to us Zora, and the other two are not worth the cost in the humid and often rainy climate of this region.” He explained apologetically.

“I see. Well, it’s not a problem, mister…”

“Call me Cleff. The old man is Dento the blacksmith, and this is Rivan, a guard.” He quickly told her.

Blake had completely forgotten about her need to find a blacksmith to repair the Scroll, but she immediately realized it wasn’t going to happen. She opened it, and saw the screen did not work. Maybe the buttons still did, but she could hardly see how that would help. _‘If the others are anywhere in this world, they will try to call us. Good thing the Scrolls’ battery lasts a long time.’_ She thought. Hopefully, one day she was going to hear her Scroll ring. She noticed that, while she was deep in thought, the other two had started a discussion on their own, while the guard – Rivan, according to Cleff – picked some fishes.

“… Quite ferocious, I tell you.”

“Maraudo Wolves this far? That sounds problematic.”

“No, they can’t be Maraudo Wolves. They look humanoid, pitch black fur with for some white growths and haunting red eyes.”

Blake perked up at that “Wait, what are you two talking about?” She asked turning to Cleff and Rivan, who were in the middle of a discussion.

“Well, I was on patrol with my fellow guard Gaddison, when we ran into this lupine monster. We killed it, but I had not seen something that violent in a while. It thrashed a lamp as well, it will be a real bother to repair.” The Zora Royal Guard explained “It was strong, but me and Gaddison together dispatched many Black Moblins before, and even a Silver Lizalfos, a single black monster is not a challenge.” He continued proudly “The Big Bad Bazz Brigade was trained by the Hero after all.”

“Speaking of Bazz, did you report to him about this?” Cleff asked, and Rivan nodded.

“He said to not worry about it too much. Apparently is not the first sighting, and we have found tracks of a pack, but we have proven one isn’t strong enough to harm one of us in combat, so we will just keep patrolling and deal with any struggler. Hopefully they will just move to an easier target.”

Blake’s mind raced. This wasn’t a coincidence. Suddenly Remnantians appeared, and at the same time a creature that could only be described as a Beowolf did the same. “I need to talk to Prince Sidon, do you know where he could be?” She asked, before chastising herself. Of course Sidon would be resting at that time of day. Cleff and Rivan looked at each other.

“At this time of day, he is probably in the Throne Room with his father and Bazz to discuss the patrol organization.” Rivan said.

She looked at him surprised “Not sleeping?”

“Adult Zora only need to sleep one or two hours every night.” He simply explained “Is it true you humans need eight hours?”

“Only if you want to be as rested as possible.” She said, while leaving the store in a hurry “Thank you for your help.”

“Don’t… mention it?” Cleff replied, before looking to Rivan “How did we help her again? She didn’t buy anything.”

Rivan frowned.

-

“Blake?” Sidon asked, seeing the Faunus enter Zora’s Domain throne room.

“Sidon.” She said, taking a pause to breath. She had run as fast as she could from the shop, so now she was feeling quite tired “King Dorephan, sorry to barge in your Throne Room.”

“Don’t mention it. But what brings you here?” The gigantic Zora questioned.

“I heard you have sighted some Grimm lately. Beowolf, and many of them, is that true?”

The other Zora in the room, a crimson red one in armor, perked up at that “You mean by chance humanoid wolves? Cleff and Gaddison told us about one they have killed, and we have had sightings of others.”

“Yes, those. It’s a monster from my world.”

King Dorephan nodded “I was hoping to mention it to you later today, but I did recognize them from the description you gave us yesterday of a Grimm.”

“And you…” Blake started angrily, but the look of the king calmed her down.

“Yes, I didn’t tell you yesterday. I was worried you would just run straight to them, and you were tired and confused. I wanted to discuss it with once you were a bit rested and when I hopefully had something to give you, but it seems that will not be the case. So, what do you suggest?”

“If the Grimm were alone, they would have already attacked.” She quickly said “That’s why I came here, to warn you. If you have sighted many Beowolves but only killed one, it means there is a pack leader that’s grouping them and preparing.” She thought a moment “Hopefully is just an Alpha. Have you noticed any of them looking different from the others?”

“Not that any report mentions. Then again, they are all unusual to us.”

She thought a moment. There wasn’t a good way to figure this out, unless... “King Dorephan, would you mind if I left to track down the pack? At least I could confirm it’s actually a group of Grimm and what the leader is.” She realized that, in a twisted way, she was obtaining exactly what she wanted _‘I need to be more specific in the future.’_ She thought angrily.

The King looked at her, then at Bazz and Sidon “Very well. You two, go with her, and take Gaddison to show you where she fought with the Grimm.” She said “Blake Belladonna, thank you. You are doing a great service to Zora’s Domain.” He added.

Blake shook her head “I will only be of service once we have dealt with the problem, King Dorephan. And you are helping me as well.” She replied. The king smiled, wishing her and the two Zora good luck as they left the throne room.

“So, what do we need?” The commander of the guard asked once they were outside.

“Take your best weapons and armor. Be prepared to fight for your life. If we find the pack, let me first identify the Alpha. Killing it is a priority.” She said, and both nodded running away, presumably to prepare what they needed and call this Gaddison, before she stopped Bazz “One more thing. Have you spotted any other strange monster?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Nothing in the sky?” She asked, and the Zora shook his head.

“Good.” She replied, letting Bazz go. She looked at the surrounding mountains. _‘At least there are no Nevermore. But there is something weird about this.’_ She thought, as her eyes moved to the great statue of Mipha, the deceased princess. She could not help but think the statue looked as worried as she was.


	5. Ruby 1: Lurelin

  
Ruby woke up in a large room with wooden walls. She could see the sea from the open windows to her left, the great mass of water shining under the sun of the morning. She stood up, trying to understand what was going on. Then, in a rush, she remembered what had happened. After Regan had fallen, she had started to run, and run, to reach that village he had mentioned, until…  
  
“Oh, you are awake. A lot faster than I expected.” A voice said from the door. She squeaked in fear and she turned to see a very tall woman with bronze skin and dressed with numerous ornaments in blue and white clothes with golden trims that covered only legs and chest. She had burning red hair and light blue eyes, and was currently chuckling.  
  
“Uh. Hi?”  
  
“Sav’otta, Ruby Rose.”  
  
“How…”  
  
“The voe you saved, Regan, has been praising you for your courage since he woke up. You are truly a brave vai.”  
  
“What is a vai?” She asked.  
  
“Pardon me, I believe in your language it’s ‘woman’.” The woman explained “I am Parda, of the Gerudo tribe. I found you on the verge of losing consciousness a mile or so from the village and brought you here. Do you not remember?”  
  
Ruby suddenly had a flash of memory. She was barely conscious from the exhaustion by then, but she remembered someone carrying both of them. “You are a strong… vai yourself, Parda. Thank you for saving us.”  
  
Parda smiled, clearly amused at Ruby’s use of her language “Sarqso, but now you should rest. You ran fifty miles in a night under the rain according to your friend.”  
  
“Really? Well, I should be up in a few hours then.” She commented, sitting back on the bad.  
  
“If you think so, I will trust you, Ruby Rose.” She replied “Interesting tattoo you have on your leg though. I happened to notice it when I put you in bed and removed the garment in excess. I hope I was not indiscreet.”  
  
“A… tattoo? I don’t have one.”  
  
“Yes you do, Ruby Rose. On your left ankle, you have the symbol of Farore. I thought Farore was only popularly followed up in Labrynna and Holodrum.”  
  
Ruby blinked and immediately checked. To her surprise, there was a symbol on her ankle, a circle and two crescent moons forming a larger circle. “I didn’t have this before.” She whispered.  
  
“That’s… interesting.” Parda said, surprised “Well, maybe the Goddess blessed you and that’s a sign.” She commented with a chuckle, then looked at the girl’s expression, confused. “Are you ok?”  
  
“Yeah, yeah, sorry, I was just thinking. Thank you Parda, really. You saved us.” Ruby said, deciding to not bring up what she heard.  
  
“You saved yourself, Ruby Rose. I will let you rest. Sav’orq.” She said, turning around and leaving. Ruby remained looking at the door for a while, then laid on the bed.  
  
-  
  
Two hours later, as she expected, the fatigue on her legs and arms was entirely gone, thanks to her Aura. In its place she was left with hunger. She dressed quickly and grabbed an apple from the table nearby, eating it like she was starving. _‘I was, actually.’_ She realized. She hadn’t eaten much in her first day and then she had eaten what Regan could give her, before the run. No wonder she needed to eat so badly.  
  
Standing up, she walked outside. Only then she realized she was in an inn. Walking down the stairs she found more people, mostly busy talking in small groups. At a table she noticed Parda and another woman like her, with the same bronze skin and similar clothing but shorter hair. Besides her, the inn was mostly filled with normal people, though she noticed everyone had pointed ears.  
  
The moment she stepped down, she heard a loud cheer “The hero of the day is up!” A voice shouted, and she turned to see none other than Regan, a bandage recognizable under his clothes. Other people turned to see her, many clapping and cheering in turn.  
  
“I… Thank you.” She said, feeling tears of joy come to her eyes. This was what she always wanted, to be a Huntress that saves people. Unfortunately, the moment was ruined by the sudden growl of her stomach. Regan grinned.  
  
“Chessica, give some food to my hero, I’ll pay.” He commented. The woman behind the counter shook her head.  
  
“It’s free for her today. I’ll give her some of my best fish.”  
  
Ruby wondered if Blake would have been jealous, and then suddenly remembered her problem. Sitting down next to Regan, who freed her a spot at a table, she looked at him. “Regan, is there a Huntress or Huntsman in the village?” She asked while waiting for her meal.  
  
The Hylian started thinking, but after a moment shook his head “Sorry Ruby. This is mostly a fishing village, we don’t have many hunters.”  
  
“No, I mean…” She started, before Chessica placed in front of her a great plate with a large grilled fish “How did you make it so fast?”  
  
“Hylian secret.” She commented with a wink, before leaving. The fish was amazing. Regan explained it was called Roasted Porgy, a sea fish Lurelin largely subsisted on. More importantly, however, Ruby noticed something else. She felt her aura grow stronger, like every bite was doing more than just feeding her. By the time she was done, she felt her aura more focused then she had for a long time. As a simple test, she placed her hands under the table and pushed very lightly. She raised the table up to her eyes, before quickly putting it down, while Regan coughed the beer he was drinking.  
  
“Wait, how…”  
  
“You are pretty strong.” The Hylian commented.  
  
“No, I mean, yes, but I shouldn’t have been able to do it _that_ easily. What do you do to your food?”  
  
“I don’t know. The Mighty Porgy is supposed to make you strong, but that’s stuff you tell kids to make them eat, not actually so literal. I mean, I have heard some people say they actually feel more energetic after eating it, but it’s not a potion or stuff like that, so it’s probably their mind convincing their body.” He replied, clearly surprised at her reaction. She scratched her head. The more she talked with the people of this place, the more things didn’t add up.  
  
Her thoughts went back to her team. How were they doing? It was the morning of the following day, at this point they must have realized she was gone completely. _‘Sorry Weiss, it’s my fault we couldn’t make it to the Vytal Festival.’_ She thought sadly. The heiress had been excited in a way Ruby had rarely seen from her, something she found adorable and Yang found very easy to tease. She once more wondered who had sent her there and why. She looked at her leg, knowing the symbol was still there on her ankle. What did it mean though?  
  
“Anyway,” Regan said “What do you plan to do now? There’s plenty of game in the woods, both animals and monsters. You could help a lot.”  
  
She felt honored the Hylian was even considering her, but the redhead channeled her inner Weiss and responded as politely as possible “If I can help I will of course, but you should know I am just a Huntress-in-training, I need to focus on finding my way back to Beacon.”  
  
“Of course, of course.” He replied “That school of yours. I have to say, you humans must be really strong if you are just a student. Hytopia must be a crazy country. Still, it’s a long way to the north. At least you could…”  
  
He never finished the phrase, as a bell begun to ring. The people at the inn looked around flabbergasted for a moment, before they started to run in a panic.  
  
“What’s going on?” Ruby asked.  
  
“The bell of the watchtower is ringing; it means there’s a monster attack coming! It hasn’t happened in a decade!” He explained, before hurrying away. Ruby would have normally asked what kind of village manages to stay free of Grimm attacks for a whole decade, even if it was the most idyllic place ever seen, but she chose to focus on what was important. She followed him outside and used her semblance to scale the inn. She took out the sniper rifle form of Crescent Rose and looked around. _‘If it’s a Leviathan…’_ She gulped loudly, then saw the target. From the sea was coming the slithering figure of a Sea Feilong.  
  
“Oh no…” She muttered. A Feilong was not a Leviathan, but it was still a dangerous Grimm to take on for a team of hunters, let alone one in training. “You need to run inland!” She shouted to the people below her, and she noticed many people doing just that. She returned her eyes on the creature, trying to figure out how big – and therefore how dangerous – it was, so she was startled when a voice spoke next to her.  
  
“So, what’s the plan, Ruby Rose?” The familiar voice asked. She jumped for the surprise and almost lost her grip on Crescent Rose, before turning to see Parda and her companion, the other bronze skinned woman.  
  
“It’s a Sea Feilong. Hopefully it will just sink the boats, destroy some buildings and leave.” She said “They usually don’t come this close to the shore, but it will certainly not move inland. Unless it makes its lair around here, in which case…” _‘In which case Lurelin is as good as dead.’_  
  
“And how do we kill it?” The second woman asked. She looked at her.  
  
“It takes three or four Huntsmen working together to have a chance against one of those. That, or a big cannon. The Feilong isn’t that big just for show.” She said. If her team was with her… “If I had my friends, I might manage to, but as is this seems a tough problem to solve.”  
  
“You have us.” Parda said “Just tell us what it can do.”  
  
“I… You two are Huntresses?” She asked, surprised.  
  
“I don’t know if it qualifies, but we Gerudo hunt in the desert, and we both have hunted a Molduga before. I don’t think this will be as hard.”  
  
Ruby thought for a moment, looking at their weapons. They both had a scimitar and a jeweled shield, and that was it. No guns as far as she could tell. However, she could see they both knew how to use them just from their pose.  
  
“Fine. If we are doing this, you need to be prepared. A Feilong launches electricity and has wings, though they usually don’t fly that far up. Neither of you has a ranged weapon?”  
  
The other Gerudo nodded “I have my Golden Bow.”  
  
“Good. Any special projectiles?”  
  
“Thunder arrows, six of them. A bomb arrow too."  
  
Ruby grinned “Good, that will help… Sorry but I don’t know your name.”  
  
“I am Flavi. Vasaaq.”  
  
“Uh… Vasaaq.” Ruby replied. The Feilong was getting closer by the second, now she didn’t even need to bother with the scope “Flavi, go take the bow. We will try to draw it toward the beach instead of the village. If it’s not too experienced, it should fall for it. Parda… Stab it. Hard.” She said, and the Gerudo grinned in a malicious way.  
  
“With pleasure.”  
  
With that, the three women moved. Ruby aimed and fired her gun as she run, with Parda following her as fast as she could. She noticed the woman drinking something and starting to run faster, almost catching up with the huntress. _‘Questions for later.’_ She thought, as she watched her bullets hit the Feilong. As she feared, the skin of the Feilong was too thick for the bullets to make it through. She considered pulling out the Gravity Bullets, but shook her head. She only had a limited amount until she found a shop selling them, and she needed them for some of her most powerful attacks. Wasting them on sniping without knowing where to find more was not a good idea.  
  
She saw an arrow fly in a broad arch and impact the water. As it did, electricity seemed to explode in a dome and engulf the Sea Feilong, that roared. Ruby turned, seeing Flavi running behind them. The Gerudo was keeping up with her as well. In another moment that would have hurt her pride of Speed Semblance user, but in this situation, she was just happy.  
  
As they kept firing, the Feilong thankfully began to focus on them. Now that it was close, Ruby realized it wasn’t as big as she had thought. Her thoughts went back to Professor Port’s lessons. Then they moved to the notes Weiss had given her after said lesson, that were far easier to remember. _‘It’s an unexperienced one thankfully, just came out of wherever Grimm come from.’_ She thought feeling momentary relief. It lasted about a second before the creature opened its mouth and unleashed a stream of electricity that destroyed everything on the beach, from a few small boats to the nets and rows on their side. Ruby jumped up with her Semblance, and she turned to see Flavi get out of reach with a backward flip. To her surprise, however, Parda took the hit in full, but came out almost unscathed, simply gritting her teeth and spinning her scimitar like she was taunting the Grimm.  
  
The great sea dragon roared at the challenge and started advancing on the coast. Its movements were not quite as fast as before, but it was still dangerous to underestimate it.  
  
Ruby shot another round, aiming for the eye, but the Feilong’s tail darted up and blocked it, before the beast used it like a whip to hit at the girl. The silver-eyed girl blocked it with Crescent Rose and flew back, but immediately stood back up, just in time to see an arrow hit the back of the Feilong’s head and explode. The creature roared, turning to Flavi, just as Parda slashed at its chest, leaving a dark red gash behind in the wake of her scimitar.  
  
The Feilong continued to roar, as he brought down its claws in a swiping movement. Parda blocked it in time with her jeweled shield, a few gems darting off at the impact. Ruby noticed the Feilong’s hand sizzle like it had touched Burn Dust, but chose to ignore the event and opened Crescent Rose in its scythe form, launching herself forward. With a quick swipe, to her surprise, she amputated the over-extended arm of the Grimm, that roared and turned to her, its mouth open. _‘Ok, the heck? How did I make that cut?’_ The Feilong scales were supposedly thick enough to block her usual blows, and yet here she was amputating an arm like nothing.  
  
Of course, at this point Ruby was sure they were fighting a very unexperienced Feilong. The creature was constantly losing focus on the opponents, and Parda’s sword found purchase in his flank at the same time an electric arrow lodged itself in its back. Still, that did not explain her weird strength.  
  
Ruby shook her head and darted forward, putting aside the questions to not miss the distraction, slashing with Crescent Rose. As she did, she felt weird, like her Aura was changing slightly, and the Feilong skin absorbed most of the blow as the creature curled to avoid it at its best. The tip of the Scythe managed to still open a wound on the flank, mirroring Parda’s slash. The Feilong roared and spread its wings. Ruby gasped. If the Feilong ran, it would grow stronger and then probably come back. At best, it would set up a lair around Lurelin and crush their fishing boats. She could not allow it. With a jump powered by her Semblance, she dissolved in a cloud of petals to reform above it, and pressed the trigger. The recoil of the shot sent her beloved scythe and the Huntress-in-training fly downward, and with satisfaction she saw a large gash open in the Grimm’s wing. She could have chopped it off entirely if the Grimm hadn’t moved at the last second.  
  
Still, the Feilong did not take the attack lightly. It roared in anger and turned, using its tail to swipe at Flavi, sending the archer flying back and tumble on the road to Lurelin, and at the same time unleashed a torrent of electricity. Parda took most of it and once more emerged in good conditions, while Ruby managed to jump out of the way.  
  
“Alright, real question.” Ruby asked as she fired a bullet at the Feilong “What’s your Semblance, Electric Immunity or something like that?”  
  
“I don’t know what a Semblance is, but I am wearing those.” She said, pointing to her yellow earrings “Electricity will do me no real harm. Still stings though.”  
  
Ruby chose to take the explanation. Later she would ask for more details, but for now was more interested in Flavi. Just to reassure her, an arrow – a normal one this time – found purchase in the creature’s flank. The Grimm roared and thrashed at Ruby with her tail, but she simply jumped over it and swirled, bringing Crescent Rose down on the Grimm’s neck. With a roar of pain, the creature fell to the ground. Ruby did not stop, instead stabbing it in the skull by propelling herself and Crescent Rose forward as strong as she could, but it wasn’t deep enough. _‘Should have used that Gravity Bullet.’_ She thought as she found herself clinging for dear life at Crescent Rose, stuck in the wyrm’s skull, as the Grimm stood back up. She yelped seeing it charge a burst of electricity, but just then Parda’s scimitar emerged from its lower jaw: she had jumped and stabbed it from below. At the same time, an arrow hit the right eye of the Grimm. The creature roared in agony, thrashing its head left and right, and Ruby used that moment to frantically switch the bullets. When the Gravity Dust was in place, she shot. The recoil forced Crescent Rose tip through the Feilong’s skull, and as she freed herself the creature charged toward the sea, using its remaining hand to claw Parda out of its way. Ruby shot once more, and the Gravity Bullet found its way through the back of the creature’s head just as it was about to make it past the shoreline and in the sea proper. With one last roar, the creature fell to the ground and began to disappear into smoke.  
  
Ruby fell to her knees, taking a deep breath. They had done it. Three of them had defeated a Sea Feilong, even if it was a young one. “If it was more experienced, it would have probably killed us all.” She muttered.  
  
“If and Maybe only make victories bitter and defeats harder to swallow.” Flavi replied, walking closer and helping Ruby getting back up.  
  
“And this was a great victory. Pity there is no trophy.” Parda added, examining the shore.  
  
“Grimm don’t leave anything behind.” She explained, before frowning “Though the Monsters in this region seem to do that.” She added “The colored ones at least.”  
  
“It wasn’t as tough as a Molduga. I take this wasn’t as strong as you expected.”  
  
“Grimm grow with experience, and the more fights they survive the stronger and skilled they get. This one was probably at its first fight, or close to that.” She said “Well, lucky for us and Lurelin.”  
  
“Never heard of a Monster like that. They usually are born of a color and their rank is based on that.” Flavi said.  
  
“Remember that Silver Moblin back in the Plains?”  
  
“How could I forget? Best fight we ever had. It was a spear wielder of exceptional talent.” Flavi replied.  
  
Ruby had to admit she was confused. At this point, she had to accept the Monsters weren’t Grimm. She couldn’t run away from that for any longer. They left pieces behind, they came in various colors, they wielded weapons. It was too much. Where was she? Remnant was a great planet, but she had never heard of the things she was seeing. After a moment of thinking, she shook her head _‘I will find an answer, but now there is more important stuff to do.’_ “Well, I guess we should go talk to the villagers. It should be safe to come back now.” She said, and the women nodded, following her to the village outskirt.  
  
-  
  
The rest of the day was a fun rush to Ruby. The villagers were frightened at first, but when Ruby and the Gerudo explained how they had won their mood turned to a great cheer. They had all thanked the three profusely, explaining how grateful they were for saving the village. To Ruby, this was the best moment of her life. She had been happy that morning, but this, the idea of having saved people from a real threat, was something far beyond.  
  
Still, she had many questions on her mind. A quick discussion with Parda and Flavi proved they indeed did not have any Aura, if the scratches and bruises on their body weren’t proof enough. She would have asked more, but before she could the villagers basically dragged them all to a very improvised party. Ruby did not complain.  
  
The Lurelin inhabitants had quickly put together a lunch of roasted fish, crabs, mushrooms and other foods, arrayed on a series of tables. Ruby did her best to try and help them with preparing, but more often than not they were openly stopping her from carrying chairs.  
  
“Is this normal?” She asked the Gerudo, that just shrugged.  
  
“In Gerudo Town, when a vai comes back from a successful Molduga hunt, we celebrate as well. It seems to me this is a pretty usual reaction.” Flavi said.  
  
Ruby wondered about that. Usually, a Grimm attack was followed by fear. After all, it was going to be possibly the first of many, and who knew if the next time a Huntsman was going to be nearby to help? _‘Though this is for the best. The less people with strong negative emotions, the better.’_  
  
The rest of the day was a swirl of entertainment. The lunch the whole village took part in was really good, and Ruby found herself eating great food and making conversation with a lot of people. What she learned was far from satisfying though. No one knew anything of Remnant, Anima, Aura or even Dust. The doubt that she had in her mind was still eating at her faith there was a way home, but she still did not want to voice it out loud. During and after the lunch, some Hylians took out instruments, and started to sing. She did not know why, but the song, about dreams and waking up, made her feel both sad and happy.  
  
As the sun followed it’s turn, the food changed, turning into fruits. She ate cooked apples and coconut, and gladly had some more conversations about her home. A lot of people seemed… sceptic, when she said there were more Huntsmen around. Apparently, they had never seen someone with a weapon like hers, let alone many. Ruby wondered once more where she was at that. Mechashifting was common, and only a handful of hunters didn’t have at least a gun incorporated. Apparently, though, no one had seen a gun in the village before. _‘Brothers, what part of Anima did that Semblance make me land in?’_ She wondered once more. Meeting the Feilong had more or less cemented her opinion she was on Anima, since they were usually found in the eastern seas. After all, the alternative… _‘It’s a stupid idea.’_  
  
As time passed, the sun set. Ruby had not realized how long she had been sitting at the table, talking to people, until she stood up to help carry the tables away and make place for a large bonfire. Apparently, after the feast, the people of Lurelin wanted to celebrate with more dancing and music. _‘They really are carefree about this incident.’_ She thought, scanning the outskirt of the village with a worried expression _‘The dread they felt during the Feilong attack might have attracted a lot of Grimm. If it did…’_ She looked up at the sky, like she was expecting a Nevermore to come down on them all, and that was when she saw the Moon.  
  
“What?” She said out loud, staring at the sky.  
  
“What is it?” Parda’s voice asked at her side. Ruby jumped up, scared again.  
  
“Why do you always pop up like this?!” She asked, incredulous.  
  
“Old habit. So, what scared you? I don’t see anything unusual up there.”  
  
“The Moon… is not shattered.” Ruby said. Parda looked at her puzzled.  
  
“Of course it isn’t. That would be quite the problem, don’t you think?”  
  
“But, but, the Moon is _supposed_ to be shattered! It has been since the beginning of civilization on Remnant.” Ruby said, her mind starting to race. The Feilong was a counterproof to the idea that was forming in her head, but everything else seemed too weird to deny. People without Huntsmen, Dust or even knowledge of Grimm. A country she did not know and a sky she could not recognize looking at the stars, who were all in different positions from where she knew them. And lastly, the words she had heard in the light. _‘Find your way in this world.’_ She looked at Parda “I think my home is a lot farther than I originally expected.”  
  
She sat down on the ground, and looked up at the sky _‘What do I do now?’_


	6. Beacon 1: Carbon

“A new team.” The councilor said. Ozpin nodded. “It is quite unusual Ozpin, especially this late.”  
  
“I believe it would be for the best. Team CABN (Carbon) will truly embody the spirit of the Vytal Festival, a celebration of the unity of Remnant.” He explained.  
  
“Is it even possible to add them to the roster at this point?”  
  
“Absolutely. In fact, we might have added them directly to the two on two, since otherwise the roster was stunted. But we have asked permission from the team that, on the first day, won by default against Miss Fall’s team due to Miss Sustrai’s disappearance. They were more than happy to have a shot to show their ability. And the four on four matches are still ongoing. We can just say it’s a special event and make both teams advance, ensuring the Vytal Festival will proceed with the correct number of partecipants.”  
  
He noticed the four councilors look at each other, before nodding “Very well Ozpin, we agree to the proposal. Team CABN will take the place of one of the disappeared teams.”  
  
Ozpin smiled. Cinder Fall and Jaune Arc had surprised him the day before, when, just as he was about to leave the room, they had entered his office and proposed to form a joint Beacon-Haven team. Apparently, it had been Mister Arc’s idea. Ozpin knew deep down the kids just wanted to keep their mind off from their current situation, and the Headmaster couldn’t say he didn’t understand: they had no clues, no way to investigate the disappeared’s whereabouts, and now he knew a Goddess was involved. That was hardly a situation where they could help, and sitting doing nothing was going to take a toll on their mind. Therefore, he had fully agreed.  
  
Choosing the name had been easy, once he had been informed that Peon Tolian, the other member of Cinder Fall’s team, had agreed to step down, so the team could be balanced between Beacon and Haven students. He had toyed for a bit with the idea of a team BACN (Beacon), but that would have been disrespectful to Leo. So, CABN it was.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by James entering his office. General Ironwood had clearly not slept much the night before, judging by his big eye bags. Entering, he looked curiously at the object on Ozpin’s desk. “I didn’t take you for someone interested in ornamental swords.” He commented. The weapon was contained inside its scabbard, and placed on a side of the table, on an old sword holder. Ozpin smiled.  
  
“It’s a rather unique ornament, so I figured it deserved a good placement. Any news of Qrow?” He replied.  
  
“I found him, but he is out. Drunk as one can be. I took the liberty of having my soldiers take him to his apartment.”  
  
“Pity, but it will have to do.” Ozpin commented “Tai?”  
  
“He is on his way from Patch, should be here in an hour or so.” The Headmaster of Atlas replied “Are you sure you want to…”  
  
“Yes. What about Winter Schnee?”  
  
“She is working, very hard. A bit too hard, and I know that is rich coming from me.” James explained, with a sad smile “I need her to rest, she is my second in command. But now, Oz, I believe you need to explain me what you plan to do with the Maiden. As I said, I’d like you to consider Penny Polendina for…”  
  
“Four Kingdoms, Four Relics, Four Maiden.” Ozpin sentenced “You know I consider that important. Moreover, Frida is not long for this world unfortunately, I can’t let Atlas have two young maidens.”  
  
James Ironwood nodded “Well, then I suppose you have decided your candidate.”  
  
Ozpin nodded back. The disappearance of Pyrrha Nikos, the planned successor to Amber, had been a huge blow to his plans. Still, he didn’t run an Academy just for show. There was no one as promising as Miss Nikos, but there was always a second place.  
  
“Glynda, is she here?” He asked after calling his Scroll.  
  
“Yes, I am taking her up right now.” Glynda replied. A few moments later, Glynda and the student in question entered the room.  
  
“Welcome.” He said “Relax, Miss Scarlatina. We are just here to have a talk.”  
  
The Faunus known as Velvet Scarlatina nodded, sitting down nervously glancing at the Atlesian General “Can I ask about what, Headmaster? Team CVFY won the match and I was immediately called here by Professor Goodwitch. Is it about Team RWBY and JNPR?”  
  
He made a sad smile. “No, unfortunately that is still nothing we can discuss in detail. You are here for a different reason.” _‘To be a substitute for a girl that is now gone.’_ He thought, but of course his response was different. It was a tried and tested introduction, one he knew the answer of “Tell me, do you have a favorite fairy tale?”  
  
-  
  
“And team ABRN beats team BRNZ!” The announcer, the fat professor with the big mustache, shouted. Cinder smiled and after a few minutes she heard the next fight. “And now, a surprise. An exhibition match between two teams, one of which is formed in celebration of the Festival. The schools of Haven and Beacon have agreed to create a new team to celebrate unity for all to see. We present, team CABN!”  
  
Cinder Fall entered the arena with a smile on her face, waving at the crowd. She enjoyed it in a way. Being the center of attention was a good change from moving in the shadow. And after all, as the team leader, she was expected to put up a good impression.  
  
She looked at her teammates, and could barely restrain a laugh looking at the nervous look on Jaune Arc’s face and at Nora Valkyrie’s confident expression. _‘Thank you for this.’_ She thought sarcastically _‘You made my plans a lot easier.’_  
  
Arc and Valkyrie had showed up at her dorm room the day before, right after her talk with Salem, just to propose forming a team together. As they had put it, all their teammates had put too much effort in this just to see them be put aside. The two wanted to win the tournament for their precious comrades, or something stupid like that. Cinder had been tempted to just slam the door in their faces, but the offer meant she could put Mercury back where she wanted him. Too good of an offer to pass over.  
  
They had discussed it, along with Mercury once he had showed up with the disguised Neopolitan. Two members from each team, with Cinder as the leader. The latter had been Arc’s idea. _‘What a chivalrous, noble idiot, makes me puke just looking at him.’_ She had thought, but had smiled anyway and acted like he was doing her a great honor. And so, team CABN was born.  
  
She looked at her opponent. If she could at least understand Arc and Valkyrie’s point of view, the reasons of the Atlas team were completely lost to her. Team GNSR (Gainsboro) had already passed to the two on two, but apparently they were far too proud to accept the idea of passing without at least proper match. _‘Well, I suppose I’ll teach them a lesson.’_ She thought, as the arena started to change. Of course, the two terrains appeared exactly as she wanted them, with the thunder mountain on their side and the geysers on the other.  
  
As the horn blared, she moved back to the mountain, and Nora Valkyrie did the same, while Mercury and Arc moved to fight their opponents. She watched as the team leader launched a throwing knife her way. She dodged it easily and responded with an arrow from her bow, before she noticed the knife turning red. She jumped out of the way as it exploded, and launched three more arrows in quick succession. _‘Child’s play.’_ She thought as every single one of them hit their intended target, starting to cut at the aura of GNSR team leader, Guilde Rosetz.  
  
She took the moment to check the situation. Arc was holding up barely against the dark skinned Balthas Secoal and his weapon, a microphone gun, but Mercury was easily compensating overpowering Nibott Midsummer and Rosaly Arden, his kicks blocking swiftly the opponent’s kicks and stick and delivering in return numerous shots. A quick look behind her told her Valkyrie was charging, as a thunder came down to her. She quickly dodged a throwing knife and took out a dagger of her own from a pocket, returning her attention to Guilde to stab at him. She was about to continue when the shout of victory from the redhead made her turn around. She was coming down like a meteor, and her hammer impacted on Secoal first, sending him fly off beyond the borders of the arena, disqualifying him. With a smile, she turned around and her hammer took both Nibott and Rosaly in the chest. With one last turn, she impacted on Guilde’s side.  
  
 _‘She really is quite strong when charged.’_ Cinder thought _‘But it’s too situational to make it more than a footnote in my planning.’_ She thought, taking a step back just in time to watch Guilde stumble to the ground. The horn sounded and the stadium applauded. Cinder dutifully bowed while Nora raised her hammer in triumph.  
  
 _‘And with this, we can proceed to phase two.’_  
  
-  
  
“I understand this is a lot to take in.” Ozpin said. Looking at Velvet Scarlatina he could see her eyes explore the great vault and linger on the Maiden. Amber, the one he hoped she would succeed, was not much older than her, and yet already basically dead. _‘Another failure of mine.’_ “I wish to leave you some time to think about it. It’s understandable you might need it.”  
  
“Yes, I… I think I should. For a bit.” She replied.  
  
“We will wait.” The Headmaster said, looking at Ironwood “However, I must have you understand that this cannot be told to anyone else. Secrecy is paramount in the situation. If the enemy found out…”  
  
“I will not tell anyone Professor.” Velvet said. With a small smile, Professor Goodwitch escorted her off, leaving James and Ozpin alone. The Headmaster of Atlas had the decency of waiting until the door of the elevator closed behind them before speaking. “This is too much leeway Oz. It’s her duty to...”  
  
“It’s her duty to live a normal life for two more years, if it was up to me. It would have been her duty to live a normal life forever, if I had a choice in the matter. I will not force her to make a choice James, and that is final.”  
  
“Oz, if Amber dies before we do this, it’s over.”  
  
“Amber will not die until then. You are making sure of it.”  
  
“And what will you do if she just refuses to receive her Aura? Will you just gently let her go her way?”  
  
“Yes, I will. If it comes to that I assure you I will consider a Maiden from Atlas, or from another kingdom.”  
  
James looked at him, surprised “You are convinced she will accept.”  
  
“Yes, I am. She is a promising Huntress. Her team has committed a grave mistake and has learned from it. They came out of it stronger. She will accept James. Is it wrong to give her some time to decide for herself, rather than forcing the position on her?”  
  
Ironwood sighed as the elevator came down, Glynda inside, and they both entered it “Well, I suppose the next thing is not as enjoyable as this meeting was.” He commented.  
  
“Unfortunately you are right.” Ozpin said, entering his office.  
  
He had expected to find it thrashed. He had expected to see the papers on the ground and the cup of coffee spilt and broken on the floor. In a way, Ozpin felt he deserved this, and that was the reason why he had taken care of moving the sword and important documents in a safer place.  
  
Said safer place was the inside of his desk, that Taiyang Xiao Long, one of his past students and father of two of his first-year pupils, was punching in rage. He turned around seeing them enter, Glynda soon following and glaring at him before unleashing her Semblance to restore the room to its former glory. “Are you done with the childish tantrum, Taiyang Xiao Long? My sympathy for your situation has limits.”  
  
“You!” He said, ignoring the Beacon teacher and pointing his finger at the Headmaster “My daughters have been your responsibility for a year, and you already lost them.”  
  
“Taiyang, please, calm down.” He said.  
  
“Do you even have any idea where they are? The great Ozpin should know, shouldn’t he?”  
  
“Tai…”  
  
“But no, he doesn’t. I can never trust him. Because of you I lost two wives, and now…”  
  
“Enough!” He said, feeling a rare rage come to him “What happened to Summer was a tragedy, what happened to Raven a harsh lesson to both of us, but I will not have you accuse me for those losses, Tai!”  
  
Taiyang looked away. In a way, he seemed ashamed of what he had just said, which soothed Ozpin’s fear a bit. Then, the man stared back at him, right in the eyes “Tell me what you know.”  
  
Ozpin sighed. He looked at James and Glynda, both clearly worried, and walked past Taiyang to his desk, sitting down. “You will not like what I have to say.”  
  
“Try me.”  
  
“Your daughters are in a different world.” He replied. The looks on the face of all people present in the rooms were exactly the ones he expected.  
  
“Ozpin, I am sorry. This clearly hit you more than I thought, do you have a fever?” Taiyang asked after a few moments of pure disbelief, but the Beacon Headmaster shook his head.  
  
“I supposed this would be hard to believe, hence why I waited to inform the rest of you. I wish Qrow was here too, but I suppose this is the best we can do. You are free to think I am going mad or you can at least listen to me. I already explained how the God of Light and the God of Darkness are real and created the Relics. Now I must explain there are other deities in other worlds. One of those needed the people that have disappeared, and so they have taken them.” He explained “I wish I could just show you the letter that appeared in my office. Unfortunately, it has disappeared as well.”  
  
There was a long silence, as Glynda, James and Taiyang looked at each other, before the latter sat down on the other side of Ozpin’s desk. Now Ozpin recognized something different under the rage of the man. There was… a decision. “Assume I believe you, and I don’t. What is your plan now?”  
  
“Meaning?”  
  
“Meaning, what do you intend to do about this. I don’t know if you have snapped or if you are telling the truth, but one way or another, my daughters and their friends have been taken. I need to know you have a plan, an idea, a hint, something!” Now Ozpin could see a hint of desperation in Taiyang’s expression, hear it in his voice. He clearly knew that the Headmaster was not a man to tell such lies. Which meant, even though he had said the opposite, he did believe him. And that was terrifying him.  
  
Ozpin took a deep breath. He had spent most of the day thinking about it, except for the pleasant pause to choose CABN name and the less pleasant decision on his candidate Maiden. And the solution he had come to was something he deeply disliked “I have an idea. It’s a dangerous one, and is more of a theory with little backing. Moreover, it involves someone we can’t trust.”  
  
Taiyang did not even need to think about it for a moment. “Raven.”  
  
“Yes. We all know her Semblance. It can take her to her daughter, we know this because of Yang’s report on what happened on the train during the Breach. Although, I assume you knew even before. So, theoretically, it could bring us to her. _If_ it works as a link between worlds, _if_ Raven is willing to cooperate, _if_ we can even find her. And I am sure you agree that, wherever your eldest daughter is, is the most likely location of your youngest.” He explained.  
  
Everyone in the room went quiet, before James chose to speak “Oz, Raven has made it clear she wants nothing to do with you.”  
  
“Which is why I am not going. No one is going until after the Festival. We need to focus on the Fall Maiden situation right now, as much as I am worried for the children. After it, Tai, I was hoping you and Qrow would go. Of all of us, you are the most likely to convince her and Qrow is the most likely to find her.”  
  
“That’s not saying much, she’d hardly even talk to any of us.” Glynda commented.  
  
“But is probably true that Taiyang is the best candidate for this.” James added. Ozpin nodded. Both of them had only known Raven for a few years, but he knew they shared the same impression on her. Not incorrectly, of course.  
  
“… Oz, tell me. Do you think the kids are safe?” Taiyang asked.  
  
Ozpin pondered his words for a moment “I think that whatever danger they might face, they are up to the challenge.” He said.  
  
Taiyang nodded, a grave expression on his face “I won’t wait a single day after the Tournament.” He simply said, standing up. There was pain in his voice, but Ozpin could see there was a fire in his eyes. He looked at the blonde Huntsman and smiled.  
  
“Tai.” He said, and he stopped on the elevator “Thank you.”  
  
“For what?”  
  
“For being a good man.” Tai looked confused, then just stared at him.  
  
“I won’t hold a grudge against you for something you had no say in Ozpin, but if I find out you lied to me about the kids…”  
  
Ozpin nodded “Understood.” He replied.  
  
“I’ll go talk with Qrow. He will probably need some convincing to go back to his tribe.” The blonde-haired Huntsman said, and with that he left. Once the elevator closed behind him, Ozpin sighed in relief.  
  
“That was true Ozpin, right?” Ironwood asked.  
  
“I would never tell a lie like this, James. Everything I have said is the truth, as far as I know. Think you can try to look in the Branwen Tribe? Qrow can probably find them, but if we can give him a track to follow it would be a lot faster.”  
  
The General nodded, leaving with Glynda. Ozpin waited a moment, and opened his desk’s drawer, taking out the sword and placing it back in its place. _‘But this is a part I wish to keep for myself for now.’_ He said _‘Who is your wielder?’_


	7. Yang 1: Hateno

The day was coming to an end, Yang noted. The sun was disappearing beyond the horizon, leaving behind the unshattered moon and the unfamiliar stars. To Yang, that sight was still something hardly comprehensible. The idea she was in another world was still scary to consider. She wondered how her dad and sister were doing. _‘I hope Ozpin figured out something.’_ She thought. Certainly, by now her friends had informed the Headmaster of what was going on. If Ozpin was half as smart as he looked, maybe he had some idea she didn’t have.  
  
She looked at her left arm, taking off the gauntlet and glove. Right under them she saw the symbol, three undulated lines one above the other, the ones above and below ending with a circle. She probably wouldn’t have noticed for a while, but a damn Bokoblin had managed to grab her glove and pull it out during a fight. Well, the pull part was mostly due to her punching him with her other fist. Still, according to Teli, it looked like the Symbol of Din. _‘And dad always said I can’t have tattoos. Looks like I didn’t even get a choice.’_ She thought, putting glove and gauntlet back in their place.  
  
Teli pointed ahead. “That’s Hateno.” He said. She looked up. The road had curved around some woods and continued uphill, and ahead of them was now the village entrance. Yang studied it. The position seemed defensible enough from this side, with slopes that would have made it difficult for Gri… monsters to break in. Still, she was not used to see a village without any fortification.  
  
Walking on, the guard at the village entrance stopped them. Yang had expected someone with a weapon good enough to fend off the Monsters, and was sorely disappointed in seeing what looked like a farmer with a pitchfork that had pulled the shorter straw. “Who are you?! Be on your way you… suspicious woman!” He shouted, pointing the pitchfork her way. Yang was already prepared to teach him some manners when her companion raised his hand.  
  
“Relax Thadd, it’s me with a new friend.” Teli replied walking closer “We are just going to do some business up at the Lab.”  
  
“I really don’t get how you have it so easy making business with that yappy old woman.” Thadd replied “I swear she is a witch.”  
  
“She is just a researcher. And she will probably smack you if you so much as try to say something like that in her hearshot. In fact, maybe I should tell her…”  
  
Thadd went pale “I am sorry, I am so sorry. Please don’t tell Purah.”  
  
“Fine, I won’t. Let’s go Yang.” He commented with a chuckle, walking on. The blonde-haired Huntress(-in-training) followed him.  
  
“Is he always like that?”  
  
“Thadd is a good guy, just doesn’t really trust strangers. He has never actually so much as poked someone with that pitchfork of his.” He sighed “Anyway, you sure you want to do this right now? It will take us two hours to climb the mountain to the Lab.”  
  
Yang bit her lip. She wasn’t tired thanks to her Aura, but she had noticed Teli was growing slower. She had offered to carry his backpack, that she could tell was heavy, but the Hylian had stubbornly refused, saying he had been doing this for fifty years and he was not going to stop just because he was getting a bit older. “Maybe we can rest and wait tomorrow?” She said. Meeting Purah could wait a day now that she knew this wasn’t even her world, since she had doubts this Sheika could bring her home.  
  
“As you say.” Teli said, not without Yang noticing him relaxing. He led her through the village, and she used the time to look around. She was surprised to notice, on the opposite side of what looked like the general store, a clothing store, and even more when, just taking a few steps forward, she also noticed what seemed to be some sort of art store. The decorations on top of the store showed giant glass containers filled of variously colored powders. “What’s that?” She asked, curious, and only then she noticed Teli was gone. She turned and saw him reading a large board covered by many sheets of paper. Walking closer, she realized he was reading various news, notifications and warnings that someone, probably other residents, were putting on it.  
  
“Oh, sorry.” He said, turning to the girl once she walked next to him “I was just reading through this stuff. It’s unusually full.”  
  
“What is it?”  
  
“Oh, this is where people can ask for help, though a lot of stores and merchants just use it to publicize their services. Usually there are only one or two, but this is… odd.”  
  
Yang nodded. There were at least fifteen messages on it. She gave them a quick read. “Unknown monsters sightings… Monsters attacking farmers… At least there is nothing about dead people.” And saying so she took one “This one says to talk with someone at the Inn for more information. Can you point the way?” She asked. Teli nodded, doing so, then handed her four of those ‘Blue Rupees’ he had shown her before. The blue crystals shone brightly as Yang looked at them, then back at him.  
  
“This should be enough to pay for your bed.”  
  
“But… why?”  
  
“Ehi, you might lack manners and be in a situation I find hard to understand, but Teli, the brave Sheika tech hunter, will not let someone in hardship without help. And honestly, you helped me with a few monsters on the road, I’d say it’s worth it.”  
  
Yang nodded, putting them away “Well, thank you, really.” She said “So, tomorrow morning we meet up to go to the lab?"  
  
“Eight AM outside the Inn, I’ll be waiting.” He replied, and she nodded, walking off to the place he had pointed her to. Walking over a small bridge, she reached a great building with three floors and a stable to the side. The large open entrance was surmounted by a great sign reading “Ton Pu Inn”.  
  
That was when it hit Yang. _‘Wait, are their signs in Remnantian?’_ She wondered. Looking back at it, she suddenly realized that no, the letters were completely different. Yet, somehow, she was able to read them. “Neat trick.” The blonde girl commented, looking at her her gauntlet “I guess it’s part of your blessing?” She asked, but of course there was no response. “Would have been too easy…” She muttered, walking in.  
  
The village Inn was slowly filling. With the night coming, all the farmers were happily walking in. Yang walked first to the counter and took out the Rupees “Sup. How much for a night?”  
  
The woman behind it smiled “Well, that would be 20 or 40, depending on the quality of the bed.”  
  
Yang nodded and took out the Blue Rupees, handing them to the barkeep. She really hoped she would give her a hint on which she had just bought. “That will be a twenty.” She explained, and Yang internally sighed in relief “What would you like as a meal? It’s included in the price.”  
  
“Just anything from around here. I’d like to try the local tastes.” She said with a smile “Just make sure there is some meat in it.”  
  
The woman nodded and Yang looked around. According to the note, she could meet the person she was looking for that very night, at the table in the west corner of the inn, one that was currently empty. So she sat in a corner, eating a good piece of meat that she decided was sheep. She studied the room, reading the paper again.  
  
It was a simple request to help taking a look at an unusual group of black monsters, to see if they needed to be taken care of. She wondered who was going to do that. No one in the village seemed a warrior, from what she had seen. _‘I can’t really just walk away from a request like this.’_ She thought, before someone sat in front of her.  
  
“Hello.” He said. He had eyes that looked almost closed, an unkept beard and short brown hair. His overall appearance made Yang immediately think of a farmer. “You aren’t from these parts.”  
  
“Nope.” She replied “Are you the one that left this?” She asked, showing him the paper in question. The man nodded.  
  
“I am Dantz. I own a farm up the mountain. The meal you are eating likely comes from there.” He explained, with a matter-of-fact tone “Besides that, I also take care of the deer population in the woods and keep Hateno Pasture clean. It’s all hard work, but now it’s becoming a lot harder.”  
  
“Monsters?”  
  
“Monsters I have never seen. A black wolf disappeared in the bushes. I saw a black bear with white spikes. And then a black boar almost run me over. I was saved by Rolf.”  
  
“Rolf?”  
  
“My dog. He managed to bite and pin down the thing long enough for me to stab it with my grandfather’s sword.” The man responded.  
  
“Is he ok? A Boarbatusk can be quite vicious.” She asked. At this point she was fairly sure the creatures in question were Grimm.  
  
“Hylian Retrievers are tough animals, he made it through with just some bruises.” He said.  
  
“Good to know.” She said, though privately she wondered why it had been so easy. Boarbatusks were not the strongest Grimm by a long shot, but they were vicious. Either the guy had been lucky, and the Grimm was young, or something weird was going on. _‘Well, ignoring the fact that the Grimm are here.’_ For a moment, she pondered the possibility the Grimm were proof this was her world after all, but she had to just take a look outside her window and the moon looking down at her made the thought disappear. “I will look into it tomorrow, once I am done with some personal stuff.” She said, “You haven’t seen anything bigger than the bear, right?”  
  
“Nothing weird. A Blue Moblin, but that’s to be expected.” Dantz replied “I will wait for you tomorrow then.”  
  
“Just one more thing. Any idea where they might be coming from?”  
  
“Not really. They usually disappear down the slopes and in the woods, so I lose them. I tried to follow one but it run near Old Man Boulder and I had to stop the chase.”  
  
“Old… Man Boulder?” She asked, confused.  
  
“A Stone Talus near here. It does not bother us, but we can’t move anywhere near it. Is why the village is growing toward the sea even though the land there is worse.”  
  
“Can’t you just kill the thing?”  
  
“What’s the point? It will come back at the next Blood Moon. You learn quickly it’s better to drive off new monsters than trying to take on the ones that are already tide to the area.” He explained with a simple smile “Old Man Boulder is not going anywhere, but we can leave it alone and be happy with that.”  
  
Yang wanted to ask what the Blood Moon was, but she knew looking unsure of something clearly well known was going to make her look weird in the eyes of the farmer. _‘I will ask Teli tomorrow.’_ She decided.  
  
-  
  
The following morning, the blonde Huntress-in-training woke up early. Realizing what was going on was still hard. Sure, the fact she was in a bed that wasn’t her own was telling her pretty much all she needed to know, but it still took time to process just how real it was. She looked to her left, where she usually would have found her sister asleep, only to stare at an empty bed. “You are here, aren’t you?” She whispered standing up, with a sad look. She had to believe that was the case, otherwise it meant her sister was forever beyond her reach.  
  
She also briefly wondered what had happened to Blake and Weiss. Hopefully, they were ok. Weiss was probably worried sick, and Blake… Blake was probably being Blake. She remembered her behavior in the weeks before the Dance. _‘I really hope she isn’t destroying herself again to find a solution.’_ She thought with a long sigh. She took out her and her sister’s scroll from the pocket and opened both. Still no sign of the others. _‘So either they are out of reach, the Scrolls just don’t work in this place, or they aren’t here at all.’_ She decided, putting them back.  
  
Walking out of the Inn, she looked around and waited. After some time, she finally saw Teli walking past the bridge and wave at her. She noticed he was carrying a smaller backpack than the day before, probably only the stuff he thought the scientists would want. “Hello. Everything ok?”  
  
“Sort of.” He replied “I was asked by the village chief to hand over some of my artifacts for defense purposes. I did explain they hardly work, but…”  
  
“What did you give him?”  
  
“Oh, the Akkala Research Lab gave me the prototype of a Sheika Tech Knife, and I have a working laser shooter I scavenged from one of the guardians. I gave them both.”  
  
“A laser shooter?”  
  
“Yeah.” He replied.  
  
“I figured your tech was less… advanced.”  
  
Teli chuckled “We are. It’s the ancient Sheika that created that level of technology. You’ll see, now let’s go.” And with that, the two made their way up the mountain.  
  
The road was not without people. A mill was just a little outside the village, there were kids playing on the lower side of it, and as they progressed they made their way to what she supposed was Dantz’s Farm. It didn’t look like the farmer was around, so she just continued on along with Teli. During their trip, she explained what the man had told her.  
  
“Dantz is not one to exaggerate stuff.” He said “If he told you he has seen those things, he definitely has. As for where they might come from… I would have guessed somewhere deep in the Retsam Forest, but if they come all the way up from Old Man Boulder’s clearing, there are a lot of other options.”  
  
Yang nodded. She had already figured there was a smart Grimm among them, or by now one Hateno would have been attacked by the creatures Dantz had seen. Still, that meant an attack was likely about to happen. _‘I need to start investigating asap.’_ She decided.  
  
Finally, after over two hours, they made it to the top. The Research Lab was not what Yang had expected. A large stone tower was surrounded by an haphazardly built stair, and surmounted by what looked like a statue of a rusted robotic octopus. Under the tower was a wooden shack, though the size was more like a single floor house, clearly built as an expansion to the tower, along with more proper stone walls in the back and a fuming chimney. On the right side of the door rested what seemed like some kind of furnace, inactive. She also noticed a giant object, perhaps a telescope, though pointing to the side rather than to the stars. “This place looks… interesting.”  
  
“Yeah, that’s a good way to describe it. Now let’s go, Purah is probably going to scold me anyway for taking so long with the pieces.” Teli replied, then walked to the door of the wooden building and knocked. They both heard clear rustling from inside the lab, and then a man with glasses and grey hair looked at them, blocking the entrance with his body.  
  
“Oh. Hello Teli.” He said with what Yang judged to be a forced smile.  
  
“Hello Symin. I am here with the usual merchandise for Purah. Is she inside?” He asked. Yang observed Symin and could see he was clearly sweating.  
  
“No, she is… indisposed. You can talk with me, if that’s not an issue.” He said.  
  
“Actually, it kind of is. My friend here was hoping to talk to her on a number of question she has.”  
  
Symin now looked at Yang, who grinned noticing his surprised expression. _‘Something is definitely going on with this Purah.’_ She thought. A number of options were running in her mind, none of her liking. Best case scenario, she was just ill.  
  
“A human? That’s a rare sight. But as I said Purah can’t see anyone right now.”  
  
Teli made to reply, but Yang was faster, taking a few steps forward to look right in Symin’s eyes “Trust me, she wants to talk with me.”  
  
“I… I said she can’t right now.”  
  
“Really? Then you want mind if I at least check your lab. I can pay to buy books at least.”  
  
Symin looked up at Teli, behind her shoulders, and Yang grinned again. With a light push infused with aura she made her way inside the lab, much to both Hylians’ surprise.  
  
She inwardly sighed in relief seeing there was no blood or anything like that. Of course, she also didn’t see anything useful. Just technical papers everywhere, including the floor, piles upon piles of books, and a surprised child, a girl with white hair in Sheika clothes, standing on a chair.  
  
“What are you doing here?” She asked with a surprisingly high pitch.  
  
“Nothing, just browsing.” Yang said, looking at the door from where Symin and Teli were entering.  
  
“You… You shouldn’t be in here.” The Sheika frantically said. “And anyway, as I said, Purah is not here.”  
  
“Come on Symin, is no big…” Teli, who was talking, stopped half-way through his speech to look at the girl. “Who is that? I thought Purah always said having children around the lab would only cause trouble. It’s the whole reason for the sign that tells them to stay away.”  
  
“She is… Purah’s grandniece! Yeah! Impa sent her here to study!”  
  
“I thought she was older. Didn’t Purah say her grandniece was already an adult?”  
  
The child looked up at him through her big glasses “I am her younger sister, Pu… Puya. I bet Purah didn’t talk much of me, but I am really smart.”  
  
Teli nodded. Yang noticed his puzzled expression, but then the man simply shrugged it off “Anyway, let’s talk business, then we can see if you can help my friend.”  
  
“She looks like she can help herself.” Symin grumbled, then looked at Yang “So, what’s your name?”  
  
“Yang Xiao Long. So, where is this Purah anyway? I really need her help to figure out a few things.”  
  
“You can talk to me. I am pretty good with the arguments she is studying.” He said. There was a loud scoff from the table, and Yang noticed it came from Puya. However, when she looked at her the girl just smiled and waved.  
  
“Sure…” She said “Well, first do your thing with Teli, I don’t want to make him waste any more time.”  
  
The two men nodded and started bartering. Yang looked at Teli taking out various pieces of what she assumed was that Guardian tech he was always talking about. Gears, springs, shafts and screws rolled on the table one by one.  
  
“No Cores this time?” Symin asked.  
  
“Just one, and I promised it to the Akkala lab already. Sorry.”  
  
Symin sighed “I really needed one. You wouldn’t be willing to part with that one, right?”  
  
“Cores aren’t easy to find, at least working ones. I had to take the risk of dismantling a Decayed Guardian, and almost got shot twice before I managed to take it out. I don’t really wish to repeat the experience, and finding one in a completely broken one is getting rarer and rarer.”  
  
“I see. Well, if you change your mind, the offer is valid.” He took out a large bag of coins I’ll buy everything else, as usual.” And saying so, he placed the Rupees on the table. Teli smiled and quickly the items changed hands. In all this, Yang noticed Puya’s annoyed expression and heard her mutter something about spending too much without bartering even a bit. _‘She is really mature for a child of her age.’_ She thought.  
  
“Well, now that I am done,” Teli said, and Yang returned her attention to him “It’s Yang’s turn.”  
  
She nodded and sat down in front of Symin. Puya walked closer, dragging her chair along to then stand on it.  
  
Yang started her explanation by explaining what Remnant was. She knew the only way to grab the researcher's attention was making it clear it was another world, and to prove her point she showed him her eyes color change. Unlike other people, her Semblance was not as easy to openly show, especially in a friendly enclosed environment, so she made it a point to show her Aura off by poking herself with a needle, that of course bent before making through her skin. She grinned at Symin and Puya’s expression, even more when she showed them her Scroll, and continued explaining what had happened the day of the Festival.  
  
Her transport was when Puya started a full-blown questioning. She asked her what it had felt like, she confirmed and wrote down the name of Kam Urog with a shine in her eyes, and then started looking at everything Yang had with an almost clinical expression.  
  
“… When I saw the moon, I realized what had happened. And now we are here.”  
  
Symin looked at her with the most confused expression she had ever seen, before turning to Teli “And do you believe this?” He asked bluntly. Yang flinched at that, but surprisingly Teli nodded.  
  
“She is either completely insane or telling the truth. Despite our… rough start, I think it’s the latter.”  
  
“Sheika Scroll number two thousands and thirteen: ‘And the hero of Lorule made his way to Hyrule, in hopes of salvation for his world’.” Puya said, while giving a close inspection at Ember Celica. “It happened already, I don’t see why it couldn’t happen again.” She squealed in delight as Ember Celica unfolded in it’s battle stance “Oh, this is so magnificent! Imagine adding Sheika Tech to this!”  
  
“You mean one of those lasers Teli mentioned?” Yang asked, her interest suddenly growing.  
  
“For start. But if we could find a Sheika Slate with an active Cryonis, or Stasis… Oh, the possibilities are endless…” Puya said, with a glint in her eyes Yang had rarely seen.  
  
Teli looked at her “You know, you really remind me of Purah, you have her same fixation with the Sheika Slate. I can’t start to count how many requests she has made to me to search for one.”  
  
Puya flinched at that “N-no, come on, it’s just some interest in this new tech. Symin, don’t you think it’s amazing?”  
  
“Absolutely.” He said, though his look told Yang he was still unsure on whether she was telling the truth. “Anyway, I don’t know how we can help. We don’t have anything to send you home.”  
  
Yang nodded at that. It was a blow she was expecting “I know, but I was hoping you had at least some ideas to what I should do in that case. The only thing I was told is to ‘find my way in this world’, which is stupidly vague.”  
  
Puya and Symin both nodded at that. “Can you give us a day? I want to look something up.” Puya said, before Symin coughed, and she suddenly yelped “I mean, Symin probably wants to look something up, and I will help him of course.”  
  
Yang nodded, and stood up, followed by Teli. “Thank you.”  
  
“Thank us when we find something.” The Sheika man replied with a nod “Good luck.”  
  
Yang sighed, walking away with Teli. “Well, interesting place at least. Thank you.”  
  
“Don’t mention it. Helping people in need is one of the many positive traits of the great Teli.” He replied, putting a hand on her shoulder “You will make it back, I am sure of it.”  
  
“I’d honestly be happy with figuring out why I am here.” She replied, looking off to the horizon. “And to know if my sister is.”


	8. Weiss 1: Accordion

Weiss used a Glyph to dive out of the way at the last second, before a boulder exploded impacting the point where she was a moment ago. She looked up just in time to see Ren jump on the back of the great stone monster and try to attack its core. StormFlower slashed through it, and the creature clearly recoiled, but a moment later it slammed its body down, forcing the black-haired teen off his back. Ren rolled on the ground, standing back up while two shot rang out. Pyrrah’s bullets from Miló’s gun form exploded hitting their target, and the creature was fazed long enough for Emerald’s Thief’s Respite to hit with its Kusarigama form, the scythes-and-chain anchoring themselves on the creature. Weiss tried to warn her to let go before the creature launched her off the edge, but she looked in surprise as Emerald managed to keep the stone construct at bay by simply holding tight on the chain. _‘Does she have a strengthening Semblance?’_ She wondered.  
  
“Hit it, now!” She shouted, and Weiss nodded, refocusing and jumping forward with a glyph, piercing with Myrtenstar the core. The creature wobbled, and Emerald was forced to unchain it, but Weiss held on, planting Myrtenstar in the hard core and unleashing the White Dust in its chamber. From the blade, a great stalagmite of ice opened a large hole in the rock, and the stone creature fell to the ground. After a moment, it simply splintered, breaking up in smaller rocks.  
  
Weiss sighed in relief as she landed safely on the ground. It had taken a considerable effort to take down the construct, whatever it was, and, she noticed, it had consumed most of her Dust. She wondered what they would have done if Ren hadn’t figured out the creature’s weak spot.  
  
“Ok, why didn’t your merchant tell us about that?” Emerald asked, panting heavily and sitting down.  
  
“Maybe he didn’t know?” Pyrrha suggested, while walking closer to the others. Weiss looked at her, worried. When that thing had first emerged from the ground, it had hit the Invincible Girl at full strength. It was proof of her skill and strength that she had managed to put up her Aura, take out Akoúo̱ and completely block the blow, though not without taking severe damage. Weiss knew Pyrrha’s Aura was likely in the red.  
  
“This thing was in the middle of the road!” Emerald said, “There is no way he didn’t know!”  
  
“Who knows, maybe he just did not think it was worth mentioning.” Ren replied, “If they are used to them, maybe he thought we would be able to handle it.”  
  
Emerald sighed, sitting back down on a nearby rock. Weiss looked at her “By the way, is your Semblance some sort of strength enhancing? You managed to hold it with just your weapon.”  
  
Emerald blinked, seemingly taken by surprise for a moment, and grabbed her right wrist Weiss noticed, before slowly nodding “Yeah, I suppose there is no need to hide it. I can make myself and what I touch stronger. It doesn’t work on other people though.”  
  
“Still sounds like a good Semblance, what’s its name?” Pyrrah asked, with a smile.  
  
Emerald looked at her for a second, then sighed “Lionheart.”  
  
“Isn’t that the surname of…”  
  
“Yes.” Emerald said, stopping her “You have no idea how many problems that created.”  
  
“Be happy Yang isn’t here then.” Weiss commented “Anyway, we should get going.”  
  
“So, what do we want to do with those?” Ren asked, pointing to the ground. The three girls turned to see a bunch of rocks on the ground. Shining rocks.  
  
Emerald was the first to stand up and grab one, a yellow one, before shrugging “Well this is weird.”  
  
“What is?”  
  
“It’s a Topaz, but it’s also Yellow Dust.”  
  
“… What?”  
  
“It’s color, shape and hardness are clearly those of a Topaz, but it’s emitting energy similar to Yellow Dust. Here, Ice Queen, take a look.” She said, handing it over to Weiss. The heiress wondered who was going around popularizing that name, before realizing that for Haven students it was probably Sun. She silently promised to make him pay for that next time, before observing the stone.  
  
She could feel power similar to that of Dust, and she agreed with Emerald’s assessment that it was most likely similar to Yellow Dust. However, it was like the power was encased inside a Topaz. The end result was that it felt far less powerful, though she wondered if that was actually true. If she could feel it through a crystal, wasn’t it possible the core of power was actually stronger than Remnant’s Dust? “Anything else of value?” She asked. Ren nodded, bringing in a few Opals and another Topaz.  
  
“I don’t sense anything from this one.” He said, handing an Opal to Weiss, and she nodded. There was nothing different between this gem and the ones she had seen on Remnant.  
  
“I am surprised you know what a Topaz looks like at a glance, Emerald.” She said “Most people would need to be told.”  
  
“I had to learn at a young age to tell apart gems.” She simply replied. Weiss stared at her, but there was no further comment from the girl. For a moment she pondered the idea of inquiring, but then the heiress stopped herself. There was no reason to investigate on someone’s private life.  
  
“So, those might be worth something I guess?” Weiss continued “I wish we had a bag of some kind, but as is I don’t think we can carry around all this stuff.  
  
“I can fit one in my poach.” Pyrrha offered. Weiss nodded, handing to Pyrrha the Topaz. Her logic was that a material with traces of energy would be worth more than the powerless Opals. “The rest we could hide, I suppose. It won’t ensure they are safe, but is the best we can do.”  
  
Everyone nodded, and they quickly piled up some stones over the gems on the side of the road, behind a small bush. Hopefully, if anyone noticed, they would think it was a grave. None of them had a weapon that could be used to dig efficiently, and moreover they didn’t want to take the risk of dirt getting inside the mechashifting gear.  
  
After that, they set off. It didn’t take them long to reach the bridge. The problem was, said bridge was far less safe than they had expected. “Seriously?” Emerald asked, “Mercury could probably build a better bridge.”  
  
The dinky bridge in front of them was better described as a bunch of woods haphazardly assembled over an abyss, complete with a large hawk moving in circles around it. “At least it’s not a vulture.” Ren commented.  
  
“Reassuring. So, who goes first?” Emerald replied, and Ren was the first to step forward, beating both Weiss and Pyrrha by a heartbeat.  
  
“I’ll go first. Follow me when I make it to the other side.” The girls nodded and Ren took the first step on the bridge carefully. Aura and landing strategies or not, falling from that height because of a badly constructed bridge was not going to be pleasant. To his surprise, however, the apparently dangerous bridge was not budging at all. Despite the strong wind, in fact, it was not moving at all. He made it to the other side without any issue. “It’s safer than it looks!” He shouted “Just watch your feet.”  
  
Weiss, Pyrrha and Emerald all nodded, and one by one they crossed. As Ren had said, the bridge proved sturdy, and despite the wind they made it through fairly easily. They were just about to keep walking, when they heard the music playing.  
  
“Is that… an accordion?” Pyrrha asked, and Weiss silently nodded. They all took out their weapons, ready to respond to any threat, and pushed forward. They turned at a curve on the road, the music getting stronger, but they were still not prepared for what they saw. There, standing atop a large rock, was a humanoid blue parrot, currently humming as it played the accordion.  
  
Before they could react in a meaningful way, the creature turned his gaze their way and spotted them. With a surprised look, it opened his mouth, without losing a note on the instrument, and spoke. “Oh, my, what a peculiar meeting. Four humans travelling in Tabantha, armed to the teeth. What a unique situation.”  
  
“Uh…”  
  
“Well, don’t mind me. I am Kass, a minstrel of the Rito tribe.” He replied, continuing to play “I travel through Hyrule, collecting the songs and ballads of the region so that they may in turn be learned by the future generations.”  
  
Weiss slowly put her weapon away, and the others followed, Emerald slower than the rest of them. Kass expression did not change. “I am sorry if we acted like that.” Weiss started “We have had a few encounters. A rather dangerous one not that long ago.”  
  
“You challenged the Rare Talus? Very brave of you. But make sure to pay attention to similar enemies. Tabantha is not the safest region of Hyrule in this age we live in, and unlike me you are not capable of flight.” He responded, without interrupting his music.  
  
“I am Weiss Schnee, and those are Pyrrha Nikos, Lie Ren and Emerald Sustrai.” Weiss replied, pointing to herself and her companions. “If you don’t mind me asking, what is this song you are playing?” Weiss asked. As a singer herself, she had a good musical hear, and could see the execution was flawless, which made her at least interested. More importantly, she knew starting with making someone comfortable by asking about their interest would make them give information more easily. According to Blake, that was true no matter the person, and she hoped true no matter the world.  
  
“Why, this was the favorite song of one of the great Champions of old Hyrule. One hundred years ago, at the time of the Great Calamity, Revali, Champion of the Rito and master of Vah Medoh, used to have minstrels play this beautiful composition for himself. My teacher used to say he saw him shed tears more than once listening to it.” Kass sighed “The Calamity took much from all of Hyrule, but I like to think the Champion still lives in this song, and I hope to find the compositions my instructor created for the other Champions in my travels. Unfortunately, he died before bestowing those unto me.”  
  
“I am sorry to hear that.” Weiss replied, but her mind was racing. The voice she had heard had mentioned Champions, and now this seemed a clue. She noticed Ren and Pyrrha were having similar thoughts. “Those Champions, who were they?”  
  
Kass’ eyes glistened, and he smiled – or at least, his expression made Weiss think he was smiling. More importantly, his music changed, a different ballad now playing. “The Champions of Hyrule: Daruk of the Goron Tribe, Revali of the Rito Tribe, Urbosa, Chief of the Gerudo, and Mipha, Princess of the Zora. And to lead them Link, the sworn Knight of Princess Zelda of Hyrule, wielder of the sacred sword. The Champions came together on her father’s decision, and each, except Link, was given control of one of the ancient machines, known as Divine Beasts: Vah Medoh, Vah Ruta, Vah Rudania and Vah Naboris. Four great machines powerful enough to ensure the defeat of Calamity Ganon. Along with them, they restored the Guardians, powerful weapons of the ancient Sheika.”  
  
“I take that did not work well.” Emerald commented.  
  
Kass nodded, a sad look in his eyes as the music moved to a slow, ominous tone “Ganon outsmarted them. He sent his Malice in the world, taking control of the Guardians, and the Divine Beasts were attacked by his curse. The Champions fell, the Castle was taken over, the capital burnt to the ground. What came after was the sealing of Ganon and the Age of the Burning Fields. And at the end of that, we found ourselves in the mere remains of what Hyrule had once been.”  
  
The four looked at each other, as Kass’ song came to a silent end. The traveling minstrel looked at the four and smiled “Well, it is a tale that has not ended yet. The Hero of Hyrule will return, placate the Divine Beasts and give us all the peace we have been praying for. I am sure Hylia hears our prayers.” And with that, he returned to play a happier tune. “Now, is there anything I can help you with? I must admit, this unusual meeting has inspired me. There is often much to learn from people that set off to travel.”  
  
“Actually, I was wondering if you could tell us where the closest temple or shrine to this Hylia is.” Ren asked. The other three looked at him in surprise, but Kass just nodded.  
  
“Of course. Well, the Temple of Time is a long way off, truth be told, on the Great Plateau, but there are shrines to Hylia in any village. The closest would be therefore in Rito Village, my hometown. Just follow the road and by tonight you will reach it. You can’t really miss it, with Vah Medoh flying over it.”  
  
“Wait, that Divine Beast you told us about is still active?” Emerald asked.  
  
“Oh, of course. Unfortunately, no one that has ever tried to recapture it has come back. We believe that whatever foul creature Ganon sent to it, is still there, lurking inside it. Still, it never bothered us in almost a century, so is just an enormous decoration, I suppose.”  
  
“I see.” Weiss said. She tried to figure out what to say next. She couldn’t think of anything, however. They really had no trace of where to go and what to do, thanks to the unforgivably generic statement they had heard in the light. “As a last question, you told us what happened to the Champions, but what happened to the Princess?”  
  
“She sealed Calamity Ganon.” He explained “Now he is trapped in the Castle. More importantly, he cannot control his own monsters, who now act independently rather than being led to lay waste to Hyrule. Is what has saved us for so long.” He scratched his beak “Actually, I have heard from a merchant there is some ferocious monster in the sky around Rito Village lately. Still, they can’t get close with our archers on their guard.”  
  
“I see. Well, thank you Kass, but now we have to go.” Said Pyrrha, and Weiss nodded.  
  
“Already?” Kass said, looking somewhat saddened by it “I suppose is for the best, you might not want to travel at night, monsters can get more aggressive. Well, I wish you good luck, might we meet again Weiss Schnee, Lie Ren, Pyrrha Nikos and Emerald Sustrai.” He said, before starting to walk “Uhm, now how would I make those names roll on the tongue better… Weiss, Lie, Pyrrha, Emerald… Ren, Weiss, Pyrrha, Emerald… Mh…” They heard him mumble to himself as he walked off, before they started walking the other way.  
  
“So, why did you ask him about a temple or shrine?” Emerald asked Ren.  
  
“If this Hylia is a Goddess, and is the one that took us here, then wouldn’t it make sense to search for one of those places? It’s the best shot we have at finding a clue.”  
  
“Oh. Yeah that makes sense, I suppose.” She replied.  
  
-  
  
The rest of the road was a calm trail through the mountains of Tabantha. As they walked north, they saw taller peaks covered in snow getting closer and closer, though still on the horizon. “Seems the temperature might drop up there.” Weiss commented “Will you guys be fine?”  
  
“I can manage.” Ren said “Me and Nora… I have slept in worse conditions.”  
  
Emerald just nodded.  
  
Weiss and Pyrrha looked at each other. The mood was dropping again, and they both knew that was a problem. _‘What would you do Ruby…”_ She wondered. Her team leader could be a dolt at times, but she had never failed to keep the morale up. It was when she wasn’t around that things tended to get worse, like when she disappeared on Mountain Glenn. “We should pick a team name.” She decided, saying it out loud. It was a spur of the moment decision, but at least it would make them think of something else while they walked.  
  
“Are you sure?” Asked Emerald “Not to be rude, but we have been together for two days.”  
  
“Actually, I agree with Weiss.” Ren said after a moment “Not only we will have an easier way to introduce ourselves, but if our friends are really here, when they hear of a group using the naming style of Remnant they will more likely have a trace to look for us. That minstrel will help, but he is just one person.”  
  
Emerald sighed “Fine. What do you think we should pick?”  
  
“Well Weiss should be the leader of course.”  
  
“Me?” Weiss asked, “I was going to suggest Pyrrha.”  
  
Pyrrha shook her head “I don’t want to lead a team, and more importantly, I agree with Ren. You heard what the voice said. It talked to you, not to us.”  
  
Weiss was speechless. She had wanted that role, back before Team RWBY – and for a time after it - but had made peace with the idea of not being one. _‘Well, it took me to travel to another world, but I am the leader.’_ She thought, without a hint of joy _‘And I would gladly give it up in exchange for a way back.’_  
  
“So, any suggestion?” Emerald asked. Weiss thought. WRPE, WPRE, WPER… None of those combinations gave her a convincing option. The only idea that came to mind was…  
  
“Is it fine if the team leader isn’t first?” She asked suddenly “I can’t think of a name with W.”  
  
“I suppose? It’s not a hard rule, just a convention.” Pyrrha replied.  
  
Weiss nodded “Then I have an idea.” She said, taking out one of the crystals the place used as currency “Team RWPE (Rupee).”  
  
“That sounds incredibly derivative of your team.” Emerald commented, then chuckled “I suppose it works. It should get the message to them if they ever hear it.”  
  
“I agree.” Ren said, “If any of our friends are in this world, they will probably be able to tell who came up with it.”  
  
Ren nodded and Weiss smiled. She chose to not mention she had only chosen the name because the sound of it reminded her of her team. “I guess it’s decided then.” She commented.  
  
And with that, Team RWPE continued on the road to Rito Village.


	9. RWPE 1: Melia

Rito Village was impressive. The village itself was built all around an isolated rock formation, oddly shaped so that a great rock sat on top of a far smaller column. Pyrrha wondered if there was anything stabilizing it, but decided that if the Rito were fine with living under it there was probably no risk. Or at least she hoped so, as under the column was a large platform and under it another, larger column, that made its way all the way down to a lake. The only thing linking the village to the outside world was a series of bridges over various smaller columns.  
  
And yet, what had caught everyone’s attention was the flying fortress shaped like a bird, hovering in slow circles, in the sky over the village. Even in the growing darkness of the night it was clear the fortress was entirely made of some sort of stone, which raised so many questions in the Remnantians. “How does it even fly?” Was the first that Pyrrha could formulate, and yet no one could respond.  
  
“I guess that is Vah Medoh, one of the Divine Beasts.” Ren commented, after a few more moments “He said they are inactive, right?”  
  
“I sure hope they are.” Emerald said, awe in her voice “That’s as big as an Atlesian warship, and I bet it’s tougher if it’s so old and still flying.”  
  
Weiss nodded slowly, then the four continued on. To their great relief, Vah Medoh remained silent as they approached the village. The Rito here seemed to be more similar to falcons or eagles in their bird-like traits, with their pointy beaks and sharp expressions. Pyrrha wondered if it was a smaller version of what Faunus had with their own traits or if Kass was a rare mutation. The guards let them pass with nothing but a quick look, though Pyrrha noticed them keeping an eye on their weapons. “Smart ones.” She thought, as they finally reached the Village.  
  
As they made it up the stairs, they found themselves staring at a short statue surrounded by offerings. “Think this is it?” Emerald asked.  
  
“Seems so, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask.” Ren replied, going back down and stopping one of the guards. After chatting for a moment, he came back up and nodded.  
  
Pyrrha studied the statue. It represented a human figure with small wings, resembling an angel. It was about as tall as she was with her heels on, and someone had adorned it with a flower crown. Flowers and pots were placed in front of it as offerings. “So, what’s the next step?” Weiss asked.  
  
Pyrrha pondered the question, and the others did the same. “Maybe there is a priest or something?” Suggested Emerald.  
  
“Maybe, but nowhere nearby. And we don’t know what he might even know.” Ren replied, deep in thought “What if we pray to it?” He suddenly suggested.  
  
Pyrrha looked at him “What?”  
  
“What if we pray to it. It was Hylia that brought us here, we suppose, so maybe…”  
  
“In my experience, the gods don’t answer to prayers that often.” Emerald commented.  
  
Pyrrha looked at the statue. It was true looking at it gave her a sensation of peace, but she wondered if praying to it would work. Then she decided. She sat down and prayed. _‘Please, Hylia, give us a sign. Anything. Tell us what we should do.’_  
  
After a moment, she noticed Weiss and Ren quietly sitting next to her and doing the same. She wondered if Emerald was doing the same behind her. Then, she felt a light in her mind.  
  
Pyrrha was walking in a large desert. There was no end to it, and nothing in sight but far off mountains and some lonely cactus. Then, she felt the ground tremble like a earthquake and turned. Suddenly, the wind peaked up, and she saw a great sandstorm. In the middle of it marched a Divine Beast, shaped like a camel, with hooves big enough to shake the earth and thunder striking down with every step. It was terrifying, yet beautiful. Suddenly, she noticed around it were flying flocks upon flocks of Ravagers, most small, but some as big as her. Along with them flew cyclops bats, their body shining in yellow and shaped like a skull.  
  
 _‘Your destiny awaits in the Gerudo Desert, Pyrrha Nikos. Find Vah Naboris, and find the way to be what you always were destined to be.’_  
  
-  
  
Ren was walking on a great lake, a dam off in the distance. As he walked, the great figure of a Divine Beast, shaped like an elephant, appeared in front of him. At the same time, he felt the rain, falling from the sky with a strength unknown to him. Looking up, he saw the source was the beast itself, his trunk raising more and more water in the sky. In the water below he could see the lurking figures of the serpentine King Taijitu, swimming around the elephant’s legs. And on the side of the Beast were the nests of many Lancers, buzzing around it like monstrous wasps.  
  
 _‘Your destiny awaits in Zora’s Domain, Lie Ren. Your whole life, you have proven your compassionate nature and your kind spirit. Do not lose yourself, and you will find peace.’_  
  
-  
  
Emerald looked at a great volcano, and as she did a great lizard came into view, rocks so big they could have crushed three of her erupting from its back. Yet, the truly terrifying thing was the mass of bug-like Grimm moving all over it, like parasites on an ill animal. However, as she looked, the image became blurry. Instead, now she was looking at a passage hidden in some mountain. Here, men and women with a white mask painted with a red eye were waiting, armed with blades of all shape and form. All of them seemed to be staring at Emerald, before they kneeled.  
  
 _‘There is a choice in front of you, Emerald Sustrai. The enemy brought you here to serve him and discard you, I give you a way toward redemption, toward the redemption of those that were warped by him.’_  
  
Before she could say anything, however, she felt it again, the oppressing darkness that had dragged her there. She found herself under a starless sky, in a pitch black valley under a blood moon. She turned, and looked in horror at a great castle. From it emerged the great shadow of a demonic boar, raising in the sky. A thundering voice came down from it.  
  
 _‘Sweet lies from the temptress goddess, child. But remember, I am the one that can bring you back to your only ray of hope.’_  
  
Emerald looked as the boar came down from the sky, its mouth open, and screamed as it devoured her whole. For a moment, she could see Cinder in the shadows.  
  
-  
  
Weiss was alone in a great Temple. It was a ruin, and yet there was peace in it. She walked outside, taking step after step, she walked down the stairs, walking up a mountain path and reaching a cave. Entering it, like she had been there before, she jumped down a slope and walked through a closed door, like she wasn’t even there. The room was not lit, yet she could see a large tub. In it was a resting man, about her age, with short red hair, almost completely naked. She could see cuts and bruises still repairing on his wounded body.  
  
 _‘The Hero rests here, in eternal slumber. It was my wish for him to be my Champion, but that will never be. Now that Ganon and the Queen of Grimm work as one, it is on you that I must bestow the insignia of the chosen. Travel to the Great Plateau with the Three Champions you brought from your world. There, you will find this room once more, and for you it will open. Here, you will receive the Courage to do what must be done. First, however, you shall have a guide.’_  
  
Weiss found herself suddenly flying. For a moment, she could see everything. The mountains of Tabantha, the Great Forest to the east and the great volcanic region next to the forest. Plains and hills, rivers and great lakes, deserts and badlands. She looked to the Great Plateau and its steep cliffs, and to the roaring seas next to Hyrule. She watched as a great tower emerged from the earth of the Plateau. She watched a great elephant, a lizard, a camel, and Vah Medoh, the bird, as they started to act differently. Water and fire, thunders and winds, all hitting the towns of the people of Hyrule. She looked down at a great castle, surrounded by shadows, and looked at a great tentacle rising from it until it arched opening a great door. From it she saw swarms of Grimm walk, fly and slither into Hyrule, bringing destruction upon all. She also saw monsters, slowly making their way in it, and she could feel they were going to Remnant. Then, her flying took her to the top of Hyrule Castle, where a great, brilliant light shone through the darkness.  
  
-  
  
The four gasped, suddenly opening their eyes. Weiss collapsed forward, her hands barely holding her up, preventing her face from slamming on the floor. She breathed heavily, trembling from head to toe.  
  
Then came the voice. _“Excuse me, are you Weiss Schnee?”_  
  
Weiss jumped up, looking around in confusion. “Who? Where?”  
  
“Weiss? What are you doing? Pyrrha asked, standing slowly back on her feet.  
  
“I heard a voice just now.” Weiss said.  
  
“We all did.”  
  
“No, I mean, after all… that.” She continued “Someone spoke to me.”  
  
 _“You heard me?”_ The voice insisted _‘Good, because I am right here.’_ Weiss turned, to see a creature right behind her. It looked like a ball of white light with bug wings. Almost like a… _“Hello. I am your Fairy. Sorry for startling you.”_ The orb suddenly said.  
  
“Uh, guys, can you see it too?” She asked.  
  
“Yeah. Oh, it’s pretty cute.” Emerald said, and Pyrrha nodded in agreement.  
  
 _“Your Champions have good taste, I appreciate that.”_ She said with a sound similar to the ring of a small bell, that Weiss realized was her laugh _“I am Melia. Pleased to meet you, Weiss Schnee, and apologies for taking so long.”_  
  
Weiss made a slight bow “Likewise.”  
  
 _“And you are good mannered too. I am sure we will fit well together. Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to say we wouldn’t fit well together if you were less well mannered. Well, as your official guide named by the Great Deku Tree and the Goddess, it is my duty to accompany you in your quest. So, where do you intend to go?”_  
  
“I… We actually just had some visions. I thought we would discuss them first.”  
  
“Weiss, just to confirm, you are actually speaking with the Fairy, right?” Ren suddenly asked. Weiss looked at him, then back at Melia.  
  
 _“Oh, right, they are unable to understand me. My apologies, but only people bound to a Fairy and a select few others can understand us. It appears your friends are not among them.”_  
  
“Can we do anything about it?”  
  
 _“Unfortunately no. But don’t worry, I am sure your bond is close enough they will accept the fact we can talk to each other!”_ She said cheerfully.  
  
“Don’t worry.” She said, before turning to the others “She understands you, but only I can speak with her out of us four.”  
  
“That sounds incredibly arbitrary.” Emerald commented.  
  
 _“It is, but we only follow the rules of our species. My deepest apologies.”_ She said, before looking at the Champions behind Weiss _“Uhm, pardon me, but you seem to be missing a Champion.”_  
  
“That was actually something I was wondering. There are four Divine Beasts, but I only have them with me.”  
  
 _“Uhm, apologies, but I have no idea. My best guess would be that your missing Champion was sent somewhere else. Sorry I can’t be of further help.”_  
  
Weiss had to admit, she was getting a bit annoyed at the Fairy’s repetitive apologies, especially since most of them seemed to not even be needed. She was surprised at how much they were disturbing her. _‘I should be kind to her. She is here to help after all.’_ She thought, before smiling “There is no need to apologize, Melia. I’m sure the Champion will appear. Now just take a pause, while me and the others discuss our plans.” Melia nodded, hovering next to Weiss’ right shoulder. “So, what did you see?” The heiress asked, ignoring the other’s stare toward the Fairy.  
  
“Well, my vision pointed to a Desert.” Pyrrha explained “The Divine Beast that is there seems to be… infested. Is like a Grimm nest, along with creatures I assume are monsters, bats charged with electricity apparently.”  
  
 _“Oh, those are Electric Keese.”_ Melia interjected _“They are usually considered annoying rather than dangerous, but a swarm can cause serious harm. And if it’s in the desert that would be Vah Naboris.”_  
  
Weiss repeated the information, and Emerald sighed in relief “Thank the Brothers, she hasn’t gone insane, the Fairy is actually speaking.”  
  
“Were you three seriously thinking I was out of my mind?” Weiss asked, offended.  
  
“I’m sorry…” Pyrrha replied, but Weiss blocked her.  
  
“Don’t. Please. Melia has the habit to apologize a lot, if you start too this is never going to end.”  
  
 _“Sorry, I am just worried I might make a mistake. My deepest apologies.”_  
  
“Oh Brothers…” Weiss said, rubbing her eyes “What about you, Ren?”  
  
“I guess a vision similar to Pyrrha’s. Some King Taijitu and Lancers occupying a Divine Beast shaped like a Elephant.”  
  
 _“Vah Ruta, in Zora’s Domain, to the east.”_ Melia dutifully explained.  
  
“And I saw one shaped like a lizard.” Emerald concluded “There were a lot of Grimm. I think those are called Sulphur Fishes.”  
  
 _“Vah Rudania, on Death Mountain.”_  
  
“Wait, Death Mountain? Why is it called that?” Weiss asked. Pyrrha and Ren looked at her puzzled by the question, but Emerald just nodded.  
  
“It looked like an active volcano, so I am not surprised it has that kind of name.”  
  
“It seems my vision was the only one more complicated than just seeing a Divine Beast.” Weiss said. Emerald nodded quickly, followed by the others. The leader of Team RWPE explained to the others what she had seen.  
  
“So, we travel to this Great Plateau and from there to the Divine Beasts?” Emerald asked “Seems like we finally have a plan.”  
  
“Do we even know the route for the Great Plateau though?” Ren asked, “Not to mention how will we even make it on the Plateau if it’s surrounded by cliffs like you described.”  
  
 _“Don’t worry, I am here for this!”_ Melia said _“I will lead you to the Great Plateau, and I am sure we will find our way up from there.”_  
  
“… She says. I suppose we don’t really have a better plan.” Weiss commented, and everyone nodded. “I just wonder why Hylia made us appear here if she wanted us to go to the Plateau. Why not just make us appear there?”  
  
Melia froze in midair. _“Oh, right, right, the crow thing, how could I forget! I am so sorry, I completely forgot!”_ She said.  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
 _“There is a great flying Grimm headed for this village. They can probably take it down by themselves, but before they do it will probably do a lot of damage. That’s why you are here and not on the Plateau. Oh, I’m so sorry for forgetting until now. Sorry, sorry, sorry!”_  
  
“Wait, Melia, calm down, is not a problem.” Weiss lied “At least we know now. So, where is the Grimm?”  
  
Then they heard a bell ring from the top of the village. Looking to the sky, they saw it. A big, slender Grimm, with large wings, four limbs and a reptilian head. “A Teryx…” Muttered Weiss, taking out Myrtenstar. She was about to step up the stairs, when a second Teryx appeared behind the first. “Didn’t you say ‘one great flying Grimm’?”  
  
 _“Yes, sorry, I meant there is only one really big one, they have more…”_  
  
“Wait, those aren’t the main one?” She asked. In response, there was a loud screech, and she looked up to see a great Nevermore in the sky. She could tell it was a Nevermore from Solitas, bigger than even the one RWBY had fought during their initiation, or the ones she had seen since, with ice covering its wings and a sharp beak. “Oh, I see.”  
  
-  
  
Team RWPE, Weiss in the lead, made its way up the town, following the stairs as they ascended. To Pyrrha’s surprise, no one was running downward. It was only a moment later that she noticed the Rito flying down, diving from the wooden houses, some carrying their children, some carrying their tools. She took out Miló and fired the weapon just in time to stop a Teryx’ maw from biting one of the Rito, and noticed them looking back at her. Then the Teryx was upon her. The great flying lizard bit at her, but the chain of Thief’s Respite managed to close around the neck of the creature and Pyrrha saw Emerald pull, forcing the bite away from her. She smiled and converted Miló in its Javelin form, planting it in the Teryx’ neck. To her surprise, however, the Grimm managed to fly once more, Emerald’s chain still around his neck.  
  
“Pyrrha!” Ren shouted, and she immediately understood. Pulling out Akoúo̱, she formed a platform for Ren to jump on. At the same time, Emerald pulled the chain, forcing the Teryx down. Ren turned around, StormFlower cutting the Teryx flank leaving a deep gash, right before the Grimm turned into smoke. Pyrrha nodded at him and they looked up, seeing the great Nevermore and the remaining Teryx fighting against a group of Rito armed with bow and arrow. She noticed one of them in particular, dodging narrowly the Teryx bites and claws only to turn around and unleash an arrow that exploded on contact. The Teryx was sent rolling backward, screeching as it impacted on one of the houses. Pyrrha did not lose a beat. She ran ahead, flipping Miló to its sword form and jumping. The weapon passed through the Teryx’ skull, killing it.  
  
Pyrrha smiled, then looked up to the last monster, and gulped in surprise.  
  
-  
  
“Are those the Keese Pyrrha was talking about?” Weiss asked. She had been the only one that had kept running instead of stopping to fight the first Teryx, knowing that the others where capable of taking it down on their own. However, moving closer, she had realized that the Grimm she was aiming at was surrounded by a cloud of small, light blue creatures, similar to bats with a single great eye.  
  
 _“Yes, that’s them.”_ Melia replied, darting in front of the Huntress. Weiss was surprised by how fast she was, but then realized Hylia had likely chosen someone competent as her guide. _“Though those are Ice Keese, a type that lives on the glaciers.”_  
  
The Nevermore screeched, and Weiss noticed with a side look the second Teryx had died. The moment it did, the creature unleashed a storm of feathers. Weiss elegantly dodged out of the way, twirling from one Glyph to another until she landed on a wooden platform, then created a series of ice darts using more Glyphs and unleashed them. However, the Keese put themselves in the way, exploding but preventing the Nevermore from being hurt. “Damn.”  
  
 _“The Keese are going to block your attacks if you don’t get them out of the way first!”_  
  
“I can see that, but how?”  
  
Melia seemed uncertain for a second, before turning _“Use fire! They are weak to the fire!”_  
  
The Schnee heiress looked at her sword. The Dust chamber of the Fire Dust was half full, the remainder consumed the days before. _‘If it doesn’t work and I use it now, who knows when I will find the opportunity to recharge it?’_ She looked at Melia “Are you sure?”  
  
The fairy nodded _“Trust me, the Great Deku Tree knows what he was doing when he sent me.”_  
  
Weiss looked at the Nevermore unleashing a second flurry of feathers, this time aimed at the Rito and at her companions. She looked at Pyrrha, Ren and Emerald fire their guns at the Grimm, only for more Keese to put themselves in the way. One of the Rito launched another of the arrows, but the Nevermore moved out of the way and clawed at him. Weiss saw it coming crash down in her direction, and jumped with a Glyph, catching him. They landed on the roof of a nearby house. “Are you ok?” She asked.  
  
“Yes.” The bird man replied. He was tall, with dark feathers that became lighter on the edge of the wings and a tall crest of a deep black. He stood back up, then winced as his leg gave way, Weiss barely catching him in time. “Damn it. If Teba was here it would be a lot easier.”  
  
“Who?”  
  
“Out current Warrior. He is training at the Range right now, what an awful timing.”  
  
Weiss nodded, looking at the Nevermore turn around and slash at another Rito. “Nekk!” the Rito shouted, seeing the Rito fall. Another of the Rito dropped his lance and immediately plunged down, managing to grab the falling one and safely take him away from the battlefield.  
  
“That was lucky, but luck won’t last much longer.” Weiss replied.  
  
“As you say, human. But I have never seen a monster like that. Where did Ganon hide it for so long.”  
  
 _‘In another world.’_ She thought, but said nothing, thinking fast as she looked at another Rito unleash an arrow. Once again, the Nevermore moved aside, letting the arrow explode against some of the Keese. Weiss looked at Melia, and could feel her fear even with her face hidden in the light. She turned to the other Rito, and realized something. “Can you carry a human of my size?”  
  
The Rito nodded “You seem small enough, but what’s the plan?”  
  
“It’s dodging all your arrows, so I can’t just waste my shots from this distance. But if I get close enough, I can destroy the Keese with my fire.”  
  
“How close would that be?” The Rito asked.  
  
“How close can you get?” She replied, and he grinned.  
  
“Harth, at your service.” He said, bending his back to allow her to climb on.  
  
“Weiss, at yours.” She replied. She noticed him flinch as her weight added to his own. “Are you sure you can take off with your wounded leg?”  
  
“I don’t need to.” He replied, and let himself fall to the side. Weiss could not help but shout as they fell down, before the Rito spread his wings and entered an upwind current that took them both back up. She took a deep breath, calming herself.  
  
“Please never do that again…” She started, then looked to her shoulder. She noticed her fairy was holding tight on it, and even though the light still surrounded her she could feel the touch of two small hands. She looked as the Rito took her closer and closer to the Grimm, until she could see the singular Keese in the flock.  
  
“We are up here. Your turn now.” He said. She nodded, and raised Myrtenstar. The revolver chamber switched to fire dust, and she moved the finger on the blade as the Dust begun to burn. She noticed Harth surprised look and smiled before swinging toward them. A great wave of heath cut its way through them, the Keese dissolving like snow in the sun, and impacted on the Nevermore’s belly. The giant Grimm screeched as pieces of ice hanging on its wings begun to fall down as it struggled to keep control. Then Weiss noticed something weird. As they passed the Grimm on their ascension and she unleashed a second wave of fire, burning more Keese, she saw a great red eye open on the Grimm’s back and stare at her.  
  
Weiss felt that eye stare in her very soul and shuddered _‘What is that?’_ She wondered, then shook her head “I will jump and finish him. Once I do, please catch me.”  
  
“Wait, what?” Harth said, but then looked in disbelief as Weiss did just that, jumping from his back and shooting down like an arrow.  
  
 _“Go for the eye!”_ Melia shouted, still clinging to her back, and Weiss nodded, using a Gliph to redirect herself. The Nevermore noticed her, but in that moment Miló in its javelin form pierced him in the flank, his Keese defense too weakened to stop the blow. Weiss thanked Pyrrha mentally, and Myrtenstar pierced through the eye, the Red Dust still burning. The eye moved wildly as it burned, but Weiss felt that not even for a second it had stopped gazing at her very soul. Then, the Grimm dissolved in a dark smoke. She coughed, falling down, only to be caught by Harth’s back.  
  
“That was very brave.” He commented.  
  
Weiss blushed for a moment before coughing “Thank you, but I could have done a lot better, I am sure of it.”  
  
The Rito chuckled “I see Teba is not the only one that is far too serious. I should introduce him to you.” And saying so, the Rito landed on a nearby platform. Weiss quickly moved away from him, and Harth silently thanked her before sitting down, his injured leg visibly bleeding.  
  
The Huntress looked around, trying to see if there were more Grimm, but she only saw the few remaining Keese get culled as they fled by the remaining Rito’s arrows. She noticed they weren’t exploding anymore, rather just piercing them like normal arrows would. She sighed in relief, before looking at Myrtenstar’s chambers. Now, not only ice dust, but also fire dust was running low. _‘What happens if I can’t figure out how to make more?’_ She wondered.  
  
 _“Weiss.”  
  
‘Maybe I can try to purify the Topaz, but that would give only Electric Dust, even assuming I can do it to begin with.’  
  
“Weiss.”  
  
‘Is there an equivalent to Fire and Ice Dust? And what about the Gravity one…’  
  
“Weiss!” _The Huntress jumped a moment before realizing Melia was the one shouting. She turned toward the fairy. _“Sorry for shouting, but look.”_ She said, turning up. Weiss did the same and looked in surprise as a great heart descended from the sky to land in front of her. Well, it looked more like a container shaped like a stylized hearth, but Weiss could feel some sort of… energy.  
  
Weiss touched it, and she saw the great heart enter her body. She closed her eyes in fear and when she opened them again she trembled. Her Aura was once more in top shape.  
  
And she could feel there was more of it.


	10. Blake 2: Hunt

Blake examined the tracks on the mud near Lulu Lake. _‘At least twelve Beowolves, a Creep, two Ursas. If those are the strugglers, this is dangerous.’_ She thought, examining the print of an Ursa large enough for both of her hands to fit with space to spare. That Ursa would have normally been a pack leader. The fact it wasn’t meant something more dangerous was leading the group.  
  
The second thing she noticed were the tracks of the other creatures, the monsters from this world. Gaddison had given her a quick explanation on how to tell the tracks apart during the past day, so she could count a few Moblins, Bokoblins and a Lizalfos. _‘Which means, I have to consider the idea the leader is a monster from this world.’_  
  
She turned to her companions. Sidon was looking at her expectantly, Gaddison remained quiet while guarding their backs, and Bazz was basically shadowing the Zora prince, looking around to make sure no one was going to attack them by surprise. “There are a lot of tracks. Not the biggest group I have seen, but at least twenty of them between monsters and Grimm. Also, something strong is leading them.”  
  
“Like what?” Bazz asked.  
  
“Hard to say until we find them. It’s something dangerous though. I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out there is a Goliath leading them.” She paused “The alternative is that it’s a monster from your world.”  
  
“If that was the case, Calamity Ganon would have already broken free. The only thing that has saved us for so long is that he can’t lead his armies from the sealed castle.” Gaddison commented. The clear colored Zora was the less cooperating of the three, Blake had noticed, though she couldn’t quite figure out why.  
  
“What if a monster is doing this on its own then? They seem smart enough, at least the high-ranking ones you talked about.” Blake commented. Bazz and Sidon looked at each other, uneasy.  
  
“If that’s the case” Sidon replied “Then we are facing something strong. Worst case scenario, a Lynel has decided that leading troops is better than constantly training by attacking anything that enters their territory.”  
  
Blake noticed his sincere worry “Are those Lynel dangerous?”  
  
“Yes, but more importantly they build and use Thunder Arrows. We Zora are extremely weak to them, and a single one can kill us if we are not careful.”  
  
Blake nodded, pondering what to do “I guess we should try to figure out who is leading this pack then. If there is a Lynel, I will fight it by myself.”  
  
“Good luck with that, a Lynel is the single most dangerous monster Ganon unleashed on us. Faster than a Talus, smarter than a Hinox, stronger than a Moblin and armed to the teeth to boot.” Gaddison replied “Even the Prince would not dare fight one without a good reason.”  
  
Blake frowned. _‘So she doesn’t likes me? Weird, I haven’t done anything to her.’_ “Here is your good reason. If I don’t do it, this group of Grimm and monsters will attack the closest settlement with a lot of negative emotions. Does that ring any bells?”  
  
Gaddison did not reply, just clutching her spear, but Bazz and Sidon nodded. “Jump on Blake.” The prince said, a serious expression on his face Blake had not seen before.  
  
Their trail was taking them up Ploymus Mountain, the highest peak in the region. Their current theory was that the Grimm were climbing or tunneling through the mountains. Probably both, if Creeps were involved. According to Sidon, Moblins and Bokoblins were not great climbers, so the theory made sense for them as well. And finally, Blake understood why they had been on edge since the faint tracks had led them up the mountain. “You knew from the start the Lynel was probably involved, didn’t you?” She asked, as she climbed on his back and he took her up the waterfall, followed by the other two Zora.  
  
“I was really hoping it would turn out that the Grimm had killed the Lynel.” He replied, taking out his trident the moment they landed on the platform on top of the waterfall and she climbed back down.  
  
“Maybe they have done that.” She said, unconvincingly. Sidon smiled, that smile that managed to be reassuring despite showing his dangerously sharp teeth.  
  
“Maybe they did. Now come on, we are close. From this point forward, no one makes a sound. If the Grimm aren’t here, we retreat before the Lynel spots us. Got that?” He said, and Blake and the two soldiers nodded. They continued up the road, the sun setting as they proceeded up a grassy road, until Blake heard a rustling sound. She took out Gambol shroud in its larger cleaver form, and the three Zora prepared their lances and trident when they noticed her movement. She made a nod toward a tree on the side of the road, and moving just a bit closer they found a Moblin. The creature was sitting, munching on some meat.  
  
Blake and Sidon moved at the same time, Gambol Shroud cleaving through the creature’s neck at the same time as the three points of Sidon’s trident entered the Moblin’s chest. The red beast immediately dissolved. Blake looked up, but there was no sound from anyone else coming. “Was this ever here before?”  
  
“Not that I know of. Sometimes we get reports since some of us” He looked at Gaddison, who just scoffed “come up here to jump in the lake.”  
  
“What about the Lynel?”  
  
“They don’t have the best hearing, like all monsters. If you move carefully, you can just avoid a confrontation. You shouldn’t, which is why the king and the Elders’ Council made it illegal to come up here, but that hasn’t stopped everyone.” Bazz explained “Last thing we want is someone dying for a dive.”  
  
“Anyway, if this guy was here there are probably more monsters.” Gaddison continued “What’s the plan?” She asked, looking at the prince. Sidon thought for a moment, then grinned.  
  
“Can you climb Blake? If so, you can go up from here and tell us what we can expect. The sun is going down fast, so you should be able to move without being seen.” He explained. Blake looked up and nodded. She removed the sheath from Gambol Shroud and launched the blade upwards, planting it on the stone right on the edge. Then, she silently moved upwards, using the ribbon to quickly make her way to the top. From there, she moved quickly to hide behind a tree.  
  
“Show off.” She heard Gaddison mutter, and could not help but grin a bit.  
  
 _‘Gods, Yang’s attitude is starting to rub on me.’_ She thought while moving to the side. The first thing she noticed was the number of Grimm and monsters. She counted ten Beowolves and seven Ursas, plus a Creep or two, thirty or so Bokoblins, including two black ones, and a number of Moblins. The Grimm were mostly moving around aimlessly, in what could be very generously described as patrolling, while the monsters were sleeping near campfires. The fact they were that intelligent and organized was still incredibly weird to Blake. She could not help but wonder if maybe they could be reasoned with.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted as four large hooves shook the earth. She saw a great creature she could only describe as a centaur with a lion’s head and two horns advance, a large blade in one hand and a bladed shield in the other. On its back was a quiver crackling with electricity and a big metal bow. It wasn’t hard to guess that was the Lynel.  
  
Then, she saw the Grimm. There was something uncanny in its movement, as it dragged its long arms on the ground. The humanoid creature moved his horned, skeletal head from left to right, like it was looking for something. Blake hid back behind the rock, holding her breath. _‘An Imp?’_ She wondered. Imp were dangerous Grimm, as tall as a human, with a shout capable of confusing their prey and elastic arms. They were already dangerous, but with that many monsters including the Lynel the situation was just bad.  
  
She quietly moved back to the edge of the cliff she had scaled before and jumped down, using Gambol Shroud’s ribbon to slow her fall.  
  
“So?” Sidon asked.  
  
“Is not good. The Lynel is up there, but there is also a type of Grimm called Imp. It can use a shout that blocks its prey’s movements, and has very sharp claws. And then on top of that many Grimm and monsters.”  
  
“Can we take them all out?”  
  
Blake thought. She was unsure of what the Imp was waiting for before attacking Zora’s Domain, but it probably wasn’t going to take long for it to decide to attack. And while the host was not of the most impressive she had seen, the presence of the Lynel alone was enough to make every Zora afraid.  
  
“We need to kill the Imp and the Lynel. If we can do that, they will split in various groups, hopefully. And even if they do attack Zora’s Domain…”  
  
“We will not face the Lynel and its arrows or this Imp and its screech, right.” Sidon finished.  
  
“How do you propose we do that?” Bazz asked “We certainly can’t just attack them in the middle of their mob, we will be outnumbered.”  
  
“Which is why we won’t. Two of us will attract the bulk of the pack, and the other two will fight the Imp and the Lynel, plus whoever remains up there.” Blake said “Grimm packs usually attack as a mass when they see an enemy. It’s not that hard to trick them into following a different target, so long as the emotions of everyone are kept in control.”  
  
Gaddison and Bazz looked at each other, and Bazz nodded “I will go with Blake. My prince, you and Gaddison will act as the decoy.”  
  
Sidon laughed, a warm laugh with no hint of rage “That is very kind of you, Bazz, but I assure you I have no intention of acting as the bait. I will slay this Imp while she slays the Lynel, and that is definitive.”  
  
Bazz made to reply, then reluctantly nodded “Very well, my Prince. Just… be safe.”  
  
“The same to you.” He replied. Gaddison bowed respectfully, a gesture Sidon returned.  
  
“And, Blake Belladonna.” Bazz added, turning to her “Please, keep the Prince safe. I don’t know how to understate how much his death here would hurt the kingdom.”  
  
Blake nodded “I will.”  
  
“Good, now that my health is ensured, how do you plan to attract the Grimm?” Sidon asked.  
  
“I’ll use the method… the method I learned.” She simply replied, biting her lip. With her team, she never had to resort to those tactics. But with the White Fang… “Gaddison, Bazz, step in a position where they will clearly see you and prepare yourself. Kill the first few that come at you, enough to make sure they start a larger chase, then run. We just need you to reach the waterfall and jump down. The Grimm will probably focus on you anyway and chase you down from it, the monsters… hopefully will do the same. Do not try any glorious last stand to gain us more time.” That was a lot better than what Adam would have done. The baits rarely returned when he used the trick to move a Grimm pack attention away from their camp. Knowing that was her only solace in the otherwise despicable idea of using a method she had learned from him.  
  
Both the warriors nodded, and Blake hoped they really understood. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to die. She looked at the sky. The night was dark, with little in terms of visibility thanks to the clouds that were starting to form. She looked at the two warriors preparing themselves, then shot. As she had hoped, the enemy group immediately responded in a cacophony of snarling and roaring, plus the screeching of the monsters. The ground started to shake as a horde of Grimm and monsters appeared on the road. To their credit, both Gaddison and Bazz reacted by switching their lance for their bows and immediately releasing two Ice Arrows. Blake and Sidon, hidden to the side of the road, in the same clearing where the Moblin had once stood guard, watched in admiration as a Bokoblin and a Beowolf were frozen solid, both disappearing into nothingness. A second arrow from each struck a Creep and a Blue Moblin, killing one and freezing the other solid. The third finished the latter and killed another Beowolf, then they switched to the Zora Spear and impaled the first Beowolf that made the mistake of getting close. Blake counted. The majority of the Grimm and monsters she had seen was following the retreating Zora. Both her and Sidon waited a moment more before they started to run upwards, before slowing down once they approached the camp. She quickly scanned the darkness. Five or so Bokoblin and a Moblin still sitting around the fire. The Lynel and the Imp at the center of the field. An Ursa patrolling the other edge of the plateau. She nodded, and they launched themselves on the offensive.  
  
Sidon was the first to hit, his Trident skewering the sleeping Moblin before he could even wake up. Blake immediately moved to dual wielding, the cleaver sheath in one hand and the katana in the other. She launched the former, the blade hitting a confused Bokoblin in the neck and killing it before returning in her hand with a pull of the ribbon. She turned around to the second one, the cleaver ending its life, then looked ahead, noticing the charging Lynel. She nodded at Sidon then jumped forward, using one of her clones to dodge the enormous blade of the creature.  
  
The Lynel roared in triumph for a moment as the clone split in two pieces, before she shot him square in the forehead, but to her surprise the bullet did little more than graze it. _‘Of course it’s not that easy.’_ She thought before landing on a nearby rock. The Lynel now was moving carefully, studying her. In the darkness lighted only by the few remaining fires she could see the red, cruel eyes of the creature, and intelligence in them. The Lynel was not going to be an easy opponent.  
  
Sidon meanwhile killed the Ursa with a few hits of his trident, just in time to dodge the claws of the Imp, that had moved on the offensive. It had not screeched yet, which was not surprising. Blake knew from a story Sienna had told her that they would only do that when they were outnumbered or in danger. Currently, the Grimm probably believed it had the upper hand.  
  
Meanwhile, she kept shooting the Lynel, who took out its bow and docked an arrow, ignoring the bullets she was raining on him as she jumped from rock to rock. Blake cursed, stopping firing. If she kept going any more, she would consume all her bullets for clear little gain.  
  
She dodged to the side and watched the Thunder Arrow leave a lightning-fast blur of light in the night sky before disappearing in a downward descent. Blake gritted her teeth. If that arrow hit her, who knew how much of her Aura was going to be eaten by it. _‘So long range combat is not an option.’_ She decided, and jumped forward. A second arrow struck her head, or would have if her shadow had not taken her place. She moved low now, rolling forward to avoid a third arrow and then moving in with the cleaver. Ideally, she had planned to cut the Lynel’s throat, but with an almost uncanny speed the Lynel took out his round shield and blocked the weapon. However, with the other hand, Blake launched Gambol Shroud in its Kusarigama form and pulled. The weapon fired and the blade came down on the Lynel, chopping off a horn and leaving a long mark on its face. The creature roared and put away the bow, switching to the great sword. Blake’s clone was chopped in half, but she, unharmed, hit once more, the cleaver making its way through the Lynel’s chest, though not deeply enough to chop it completely.  
  
The great lion centaur jumped back with surprising agility and opened its mouth. Blake wondered why for a brief second before a great sphere of fire came her way. She rolled to the side, then rolled more to dodge the second one. The third one hit a shadow clone while she landed on the grass to the right, safe, even if barely. The Lynel did not miss her distress and charged forward, swiping wide with his blade. She ducked, and Gambol Shroud opened a wound on the monster’s side. _‘Too shallow.’_ She thought, amazed in some way. Her weapon’s blades, once reinforced with Aura, were easily capable to cut through metal, and yet here they were barely scraping the musculature of the monster. She used the pause she had gained from her fight to look at Sidon and the Imp. She had made sure to not get in reach of the other monster’s arms while fighting, and at that point the two fights were taking place essentially on the two opposite sides of the field. The creature’s claws were attacking rapidly, but Sidon was easily blocking with his Trident each blow and answering with a series of thrusts.  
  
Then the Lynel was on her, and Blake returned her attention to it, using a clone to avoid the blade and launching the kusarigama configuration. She unleashed a series of rapid strikes, shot after shot ringing out and driving the blade on the Lynel’s body from various angles.  
  
Then the screech came. It was a sound that tormented the ears, and she found herself forced to cover them, just as the fast swipe of the Lynel hit her way. She closed her eyes and prepared for the impact.  
  
A normal person would have been chopped in half by the monster’s attack.  
  
Blake would have probably had her Aura broken in one blow now that she had used that much to create her copies.  
  
Instead, she felt a weird sensation from her marked ear, sort of like water flowing around it. And when she opened her eyes, she looked in surprise. She was still alive, unharmed, surrounded by a shield of blue light, shaped like a crystal, the blade of the Lynel unable to pierce it. She took a step, and the shield moved with her. _‘What is this…’_ She wondered, before feeling her Aura lowering at a fast pace. _‘A shield that consumes Aura? Wait…’_ She turned around and looked at the Prince, just in time to see him launched back. Despite the screech, Sidon had managed to place his trident in the way of the monster’s claws, only getting launched away rather than pierced through. Still, the Prince landed on the side of a rock, coughing as he used the Trident to stand back up, only for the Grimm to screech once more, paralyzing him. She felt her newfound shield tremble.  
  
Blake ran to him, ignoring the impacts of the Lynel’s blade against the shield. She could feel her Aura burning away, faster than any time she used it before. Once she reached Sidon, she placed herself in the way, blocking the Imp’s attack with her newfound shield and using the opportunity to slice downward. With a satisfying slash, the Imp’s arm fell to the ground and disappeared. The creature screamed, angered and in pain, but the shield was still protecting her from the sound.  
  
“We need to go.” She said, “I don’t know what this is but I can feel it’s going to disappear any second, taking my aura with it.”  
  
“Yes, I think it’s for the best we leave, I might have underestimated your warnings on this creature.” He replied, coughing as he followed her out of the way, trying to dodge the blows of the Imp’s arm or block them with the Trident. Thankfully, the Lynel was still focusing on Blake and her shield, probably realizing it wasn’t going to last forever, rather than attacking the injured prince. She noticed there was blood in his mouth. She had almost forgotten there was no Aura to protect him “Think we can descend the way we came?” He continued, hiding the pain.  
  
“No, the Grimm are down there.” She replied as they jumped once more out of the way.  
  
“Then I have an idea. Remember when we said people come up here to take a dive?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“We dive.” He said, rolling to avoid at the last second the Grimm’s arm and planting his trident in it, leaving it there as they moved and looking at the gem-shaped shield. “Nayru… I wonder if…” He shook his head “We need to jump from the top.” He said, pointing ahead. Blake felt her shield flicker as her Aura was burning down, dangerously low, and nodded.  
  
The Imp shouted once more, unable to free its trapped arm, but Blake, protected by the Shield, did not feel the effect, while Sidon seemed quite resistant to it. Still, Blake noticed her Aura flickering. The Lynel had clearly noticed as well, and in response she started to fire her gun, aiming square in his face. The Lynel recoiled this time. She was surprised for a second, until she noticed one of the shots had hit it in the eye. The monster however quickly pulled out the bow and started to fire Thunder Arrow. The first one missed, the second bounced on the disappearing shield, narrowly missing Sidon.  
  
They reached the edge of the mountain top. Blake stared at the free fall that awaited them. Down, down below them was a great lake, in the middle of which stood a great statue of an elephant. Sidon pointed downwards and she understood, diving off immediately followed by the Zora.  
  
She looked up as she fell, just in time to see Sidon and the Thunder Arrow behind it. The Lynel, furious, had fired one last shot at them from above. Without thinking, she concentrated, creating one last clone to push herself up above Sidon.  
  
First came the impact with the arrow. The shield had disappeared, her Aura burnt away by her last clone. The arrow pierced her flank and she gasped as a discharge of electricity coursed through her body, feeling her mind go numb.  
  
Then the impact with the water came. She felt the electricity stopping, an arm gently wrapped itself around her, and then there was nothing but darkness.


	11. Beacon 2: Forest

“So, your team is not coming to watch the fight?” Nora asked Mercury as they entered the arena.  
  
“Nah, Cinder and Peon both have better things to do.” He replied “And anyway, we are going to win. That’s what matters.”  
  
“I guess…” She said, unsure of how to respond. Jaune was at the Arena of course, ready to cheer for her. It was weird thinking someone’s teammates were not going to do the same. She wished Ren was there. He would have known how to… _‘No, I can’t think about this. I have to focus.’_ She thought, strengthening her grip on Magnhild.  
  
“And against CRBN’s Mercury Black and Nora Valkyrie, we see the Atlesian Team FNKY, represented by Flynt Coal and Neon Katt!” Professor Oobleck announced.  
  
Nora stared at their opponents. “Wasn’t Atlas supposed to be the super strict kingdom?” Mercury shrugged, but did not respond, making Nora sigh. _‘How does Emerald endure this team?’_ She wondered, looking at the two. The tall, dark skinned student with square sunglasses and a fedora was Flynt Coal, and the female faunus on rollerblades with long twin tails that moved around him before stopping to his left was Neon Katt. She was wielding a nunchaku, while he had a trumpet.  
  
Flynt looked at her, then spoke “I asked around a bit. Is it true Weiss Schnee is not taking part in the Festival?”  
  
“Weiss is… busy.” Nora replied. She had been briefed to not make the news of Weiss disappearance spread further, after all.  
  
“Pity. Really wanted to take a Schnee down a peg for a change.” He said.  
  
“Ehi, that’s not fair!” She replied, knowing that Weiss was a lot better than her father even from what little she had heard of him, before she was abruptly interrupted by the girl with twin tails.  
  
“’That’s not fair!’” Neon repeated mockingly “That’s what you sound like.”  
  
“They are trying to get you angry.” Mercury murmured.  
  
“They are doing a good job at it.” Nora replied, clenching her fingers on Magnhild’s staff. No one insulted her friends and walked away.  
  
The voice of Professor Port interrupted them, as the horn blared “Let the fight begin!”  
  
The arena quickly shifted, as a desert, a volcanic area, a geyser field, and a city ruin appeared. Nora grinned. Ruined city meant broken electric outlets. However, before she could do anything, the Atlesian student started to play his trumpet. The soundwave came their way, and both Nora and Mercury found themselves plant their feet to the ground in hopes of resisting it. A second later, the faunus was kicking Nora to the chest, sending her fly against one of the city’s wall.  
  
She rolled on the ground and turned Magnhild in its grenade launcher form, unleashing a barrage on the quick moving faunus. She dodged most of them, only a couple landing minor hits.  
  
“You know, you have pretty big guns for such a shorty.” The Faunus shouted as she turned around.  
  
“You are barely taller than me without those rollerblades of yours!”  
  
“Yeah, but I’m not nearly as heavy.” She replied with a smug smile. Nora’s eyes would have turned red if she had the ability, but she resolved to instead change Magnhild’s configuration to the hammer form and attack. Unfortunately, Neon responded by repeatingly hitting with her white-shining nunchaku, and Nora found her arms and body covered in ice on multiple points, the biggest on her torso. “Wops, maybe I shouldn’t had more kilos, that’s so insensitive of me.”  
  
“Shut up!” Nora shouted, punching a wall to break the ice and then swinging Magnhild left and right. She continued to move backward and to the left, blocking most hits of the nunchaku as she felt the head of her hammer grow in weight considerably. Finally, she managed to get close to her objective, the lamp post to the left. She blocked one more hit, then swung Magnhild. As she thought, the insufferable faunus girl managed to dodge it again, but the hit broke the metallic lamp post in two pieces, the head flying off.  
  
“Wops, looks like your aim isn’t that good either.”  
  
“That’s where you are wrong.” She said, and planted her hand in the base of the object. The sizzling of electricity coursed through her body.  
  
Neon Katt clearly knew she had made a mistake, because she charged forward. And in that second the horn sounded. “Oh, and Flynt Coal is out. An excellent show from Mercury Black!”  
  
“What?!” Neon said… and got distract at the worst time. When she turned around, she paid the price for it by seeing the head of Magnhild fly square to her face, sending her fly towards the desert zone. She tried to stand up, but rollerblade and sand didn’t mix well. Nora charged forward to the immobilized faunus and hit with a second attack, watching in satisfaction as Neon flew off in the distance as the horn blared once more.  
  
“And Neon Katt is out as well! What a show from Team CRBN!” Port shouted, and Nora felt her pride swell. She also smirked in satisfaction as Neon slowly walked back on the stage… just to run straight to her.  
  
“That was awesome!” She said, an enormous smile “You are really strong! Oh, how did you know the lamp post was still functioning! That was cool!”  
  
Flynt just grimaced “You are a nasty fighter Black.”  
  
“I get that a lot.” He replied. Flynt Coal just walked off, followed by an excited Neon.  
  
“Wow.” Nora said, before realizing what that meant and promptly locking Mercury Black’s head in a tight embrace with her left arm “We won!”  
  
“I’m… suffocating…”  
  
“Vytal single matches, here we come!”  
  
“I think… I am gonna pass out…” Mercury managed to say while held in an embrace that was more of a choke.  
  
Nora smiled, then she sighed as she released Mercury _‘If only Ren and Pyrrha were here.’_  
  
-  
  
“Oh, how terrible.” Cinder said mockingly as she and Neo made their way through the Emerald Forest. “Can you believe this? Vale and Mistral allied to shame Vacuo and Atlas in this tournament, while Vacuo desperately fights back and Atlas tries to save face with their new toy.”  
  
Neo just looked at her, clearly not caring about her plan. Cinder gritted her teeth _‘Ungrateful brat. If it wasn’t for me your boss would just be a casualty in what’s to come.’_ She thought. “Did Taurus say how far we have to walk? It was already difficult to come all the way here discreetly.”  
  
Neo just took out her Scroll and handed it to Cinder. The half-Maiden – not for long – took it and started to patiently read Adam’s messages. Most of them where incoherent rambling on how his mission was too important for him to stop and report on every minor thing, but in it was the information she needed, both in terms of location and of delivered numbers.  
  
Cinder had a vast interest in this delivery. Not only because these were the goods produced by the newest of Salem’s followers, but because it had costed her Emerald. The girl was useful, and the idea someone had taken her without even asking the future Fall Maiden was insulting. _‘I will make sure to point out every flaw these things have, to make it clear who Salem should consider more valuable.’_  
  
At the same time, however, she was on edge. Taurus had been vague on the details, but it seemed some sort of new Grimm was the content, which raised all sorts of question. Until now, she had been convinced only Salem was able to manipulate the substance that birthed the Grimm to suit her needs. If someone else could do it, that made this person either an invaluable asset or a threat, and it seemed Salem had decided for the former. Cinder clenched her teeth, but morphed her expression in her shrewd smile when Taurus and two members of the White Fang emerged from the trees and bushes.  
  
“Adam. How is it?” She asked.  
  
Adam just snorted “See for yourself.” He said, his tone as poisonous as usual. Cinder pretended to ignore it. She had to pretend she valued Adam, after all, at least for now. Once Beacon fell, she was going to move up to Sienna Khan, and then she wasn’t going to need the bovine anymore.  
  
“Gladly.” She simply replied, the faunus leading the way down a hidden path until they reached a large clearing. Salem looked around. Adam had done a good job in organizing it, with the numerous bullheads covered to be hidden from Atlas’ inspections with leaves and branches.  
  
“We spent the last few days corralling the Grimm as you said.” Adam commented, pointing to large cages filled with Beowolves, Ursa, Boarbatusk and Creeps. A larger one contained a small-sized King Taijitu. “When you told us they would obey, I doubted you. But they have been just sitting in those cages. That will be valuable in the future.”  
  
 _‘I hope you try without Salem’s permission. Getting mauled by a Beowolf would be quite the fitting end for someone like you.’_ She thought, but just continued to keep up the façade “What about the new ones.”  
  
“Yes, about those…” He said, and pointed to her the furthest edge of the clearing.  
  
For a second, Cinder thought Salem had committed four Nuckleavee to the mission, and could not help but wonder why. However, she soon realized her mistake. The creatures in question were tall, with the head of a horned lion, a muscular human torso, and the body of an horse. Moreover, they did not look like Grimm. Two of them had red fur and skin, one blue, and the final one seemed made of silver. They all had weapons next to them, shields on their flank, and bows and quivers. Intimidating was a good way to describe them. The moment they saw her, the biggest one stood up and walked to her, before kneeling down to look at her in the eyes.  
  
Then, he did something that left her stunned. “Cinder Fall.” He said, in a raucous, deep voice.  
  
She took a step back in surprise before regaining her self-control “I am. And you are?”  
  
“Nyl, a servant my ruler offered to your Queen. My lords believed it was better for me to speak, so they gifted me with the ability to do so.” He replied, “I hope our collaboration will give us both what we wish for.”  
  
 _‘From which pit of hell did this ruler of his take this beast?’_ Cinder wondered _‘Is this the true extent of what magic can achieve?’_ She wondered after a moment. “Very well. You will take part in the attack to Beacon Academy.”  
  
“As you wish. But first, a gift.” He added, taking out a small object and handing it to the Maiden. She looked at it. A small red orb, containing what seemed to be a living fire and an eyeball darting back and forth.  
  
“What is this?”  
  
“My lord, the envoy of the great Ganon in this world, wishes to show your queen what he can do as well. If you ever find yourself in need, break it to unleash a monster that will destroy anything in your path.”  
  
Cinder slowly nodded. She was tempted to just throw it away, but there was… something in that object. Something dangerous and powerful. _Especially_ powerful. _‘And let it never be said that I would refuse power. Whoever the source might be.’_  
  
-  
  
Watts was sitting in his chair, while still working on his programs. So long as the Queen was not in the room, he had no qualms in doing his job. His fingers moved quickly as he switched alt-account after alt-account. The messages left in social networks and forums alike were very different in the tone and the content, and yet they were all, at the end of the day, the same argument: Vale and Mistral are allying against Atlas.  
  
He had to admit, while Cinder was as obtuse as most people, she had some form of cunning. Specifically, she knew what needed to be done to anger the people. The showing of team CRBN at the Vytal Festival had started rumors that, in response to Atlas’ cover-invasion of Vale, the Kingdom had reached to Mistral, and the two were ready to form a coalition. Of course, it was Watts ability to adequately spread the rumor that was making her plan work. He smiled as he looked at the approving reactions growing.  
  
“Your technology is quite intriguing.” Said the individual sitting on the other side of the table “You can speak to each other without magic, and despite the distance. A very interesting ability.”  
  
Watts looked up from his phone, annoyed at the interruption of his favorite job in quite a while, and nodded. “Indeed, I suppose that for someone from a less… advanced age, this would appear extraordinary.”  
  
“I assure you it is. I missed the age of the Sheika ten thousand years ago, and I missed the age of the research one hundred years ago. In my time, we could only use magic, but it was rather inefficient unless sorcerers such as I were constantly on the ready, or send messages through horses and signals. I am interested in your technology, on the other hand, that can do such marvels. And I’d love to have it explained to me by a man of such intelligence as the one that sits before me.”  
  
Watts smiled. _‘Perhaps this man, uncivilized as he might be, is at least worth of my time.’_ “I will gladly, Agahnim.”  
  
The so-called sorcerer in red robes bowed his head, the large headgear with the golden eye curiously looking like it never looked away from Watts. “Thank you, Professor Watts.”  
  
-  
  
“Please, come in miss Scarlatina.” Ozpin said, putting the sword back on its stand. He had spent the last few hours trying to compare it with any legend he could find or remember about swords, but unsuccessfully. Of course, this meant the idea that it was, in fact, a magical sword from another world seemed more believable than before, but on the other, it meant he had no clue on what kind of person he was supposed to look for. His research had been interrupted when Glynda had informed him Velvet Scarlatina wished to talk with him. The faunus girl entered the room, sitting down in front of him, clearly nervous. Ozpin put on a warm smile. “What can I help you with?”  
  
“I’d like to talk about some things.” She said bluntly.  
  
“I see.” Ozpin replied. He had expected a response, but after only two days it seemed a very short time. _‘Unless she is refusing of course.’_ He recognized her unease, and decided to try and reduce it a bit. “Would you like some tea, or coffee?”  
  
“Tea, please.” She blurted out.  
  
“Sure, I… Ah, unfortunately my office does not have the material. Glynda, would you be so kind as to go and bring a teapot and the leaves?”  
  
“I should point out, Headmaster, that I am not your secretary.” The woman replied, before sighing “Very well, but don’t ask me again.”  
  
“Noted.” He replied with a nod. The moment she left, he turned back to miss Scarlatina “Now, if there is anything you wished to talk about with me in absolute privacy, I suppose now would be the time.”  
  
“I wanted to know… Why me? We failed in Lower Cairn, we lost a family we could have saved. There are more students out there, that have never failed a mission. Why me and not one of them?”  
  
Ozpin nodded. He had expected something like this to cross her mind eventually. “Velvet,” He said, deciding to go for her first name “tell me, what do you think I consider more important for a Maiden? Power? Perhaps that is useful, but you will be granted so much power by the virtue of being a Maiden that you will not have any lack of it. Wisdom? A bit, yes, but wisdom is something we gain as we grow, as we face hardships and work past them. No, it is courage.” He smiled “You came back from a mission you failed horribly. In the past, I have had other students never made past something like that. Teams that broke apart accusing each other for their failure, people that could not accept the idea and quit.” He shook his head “Many people cannot face a loss and continue on. However, those that do show a bravery like no one else in the world. You showed that. You came back from that failure, and when the Breach happened, you and your team made your way to the frontlines anyway. I believe in fact that team CVFY is also making it past the two on two rounds of the Vytal Festival. You are brave, Velvet, and courage is what I will need in the days to come. Courage is what a Maiden will need most, to face the challenges that will come to her. The courage to get back up after a fall.”  
  
“… Professor, is the situation so dire?”  
  
“I don’t know, to be quite honest. For a Maiden to be attacked and deprived of part of her power, it is unprecedented. For us to try such an unorthodox method of transferring the power, it is unprecedented. You find yourself at a crossroad, Velvet. One path is the normal one. Becoming a huntress and fighting the Grimm like everyone else, helping in protecting the world. The other is much more arduous.”  
  
Velvet nodded. In that moment, Glynda walked back in, basically storming the office. Without saying a word, she walked to a cupboard to the left of the room, and took out a teapot, tea, and a teacup. “I will repeat I am not your secretary.” She finally muttered.  
  
Ozpin could not help but smile, though noticing her glare chose to conceal it immediately by taking a sip of his beloved hot chocolate. “Noted again.” He said, once he put it back down.  
  
“I certainly hope so.”  
  
“In any case, while you were away Velvet has expressed a few doubts and I hope I have been of help. It’s now up to her to take a choice.”  
  
Ozpin could see her think, then nod once more. “I have made up my mind, professor.” She said. Both of them looked at her.


	12. Yang 2: Fire

Yang’s exploration was giving her mixed results. On one end, it had helped clear her mind. After another two days of exploring, she was starting to accept the reality of her situation. Which was the fact she was stuck in a different world, a world where everything, from the people to the stars was different.  
  
 _‘So, what are those overgrown puppies doing here?’_ She wondered as she studied the two Beowolves currently walking in front of her, in the woods south-west of Hateno. She felt the urge to just jump in and punch them to death, but she remembered what Professor Oobleck had explained them at Mountain Glenn. _‘Come on, show me where your boss is…’_  
  
The Beowolves were smelling the ground, probably hunting some human trail. Yang had already told Dantz to make sure everyone knew to not leave the village for the time being, so hopefully it was just an old smell from the days before. If it wasn’t, she was going to intervene before things got ugly.  
  
Suddenly, two Bokoblins entered her field of view. They seemed calm, and walked right to the Beowolves with no worry. She clenched her fists. _‘So monsters and Grimm are one big happy family, uh? Should have figured out that if someone was going to get all chummy with the Grimm was going to be another monster.’_  
  
The two monsters then did something even more surprising. Without any problem, they jumped on the back of the Grimm, spears in hand, and directed them by poking their sides with the blunt end. The Grimm, even though they growled slowly, turned around to move in the direction in question. _‘Oh, that’s great, they can also ride them, fantastic, absolutely awesome.’_ She thought, before following them. They were running, but she managed to keep up without being noticed by using the trees as cover until they emerged on the road. Then she waited for them to get far enough and kept moving low on the ground. That was how she managed to find what seemed to be their base.  
  
Two large Moblin were guarding what appeared to be ruins of some kind, with only a few walls and arches still standing. She recognized a few Ursas and one or two Boarbatusk, but mostly Beowolves and local monsters. All in all, it seemed mostly the common kind of Grimm one would find in Vale mixed with a few other creatures. At least, that was her thought before she felt the ground shake slightly. To her surprise, a larger Boarbatusk entered the scene, emerging from the back of a wall.  
  
The creature was not as big as a Goliath, but was still taller then a normal Ursa. Moreover, its features were different from the usual. She studied the larger, stronger legs, with hooves probably big enough to crush a Creep in a step, and a chain of metallic spikes on its back, contrasting with the usual bone protrusions similar Grimms would have had. Finally, its most unnatural part was the large red eye on the forehead. _‘Never seen a Grimm like that.’_ She thought. Then smiled _‘But it’s probably the pack leader, so it’s my job to take it down.’_  
  
She sneaked closer to the camp, the two Moblin remaining oblivious of her presence. She studied them. One Red, one Blue. From what she had figured out, the color showed their strength. Blue was stronger than Red, and Black was stronger than Blue. Which meant, her first target was the Blue one.  
  
She jumped forward, the Moblins barely registering her presence before a punch exploded on the Blue one’s right cheek, sending him flying over a cliff. Yang turned around and Ember Cilica extended itself in its weapon form. She heard the Beowolves and monsters roar and prepare to attack, but she ignored it, focusing on stopping the lance of the remaining Moblin with Ember Cilica before shooting a single shot in its abdomen. The creature reeled back in pain and she immediately banked on it with an uppercut that shattered its jaw. With a grunt, the Moblin fell backward and died in a puff of smoke. She grinned and jumped back a few paces just in time to dodge the claws of the first incoming Beowolf, then looked around, mentally counting. Ten Beowolves, five Ursas, four Boarbatusk. Seven Bokoblin of varying color… including one whose skin was silver, mounted on the back of an Ursa and armed with a large bat made of bone and wood and a shield with an eye. She had never seen one like that, but logic said it was stronger than the Black ones. Finally, behind them all, studying her with his three red eyes, was the bigger Boarbatusk.  
  
She smiled, ready for action, and launched herself forward. Her Aura charged punch slammed in the face of the first Beowolf, breaking its neck and immediately dusting him. She did not lose a second, turning the jab in a hook that lodged itself in the temple of a second Beowolf, while using the other hand to stop a claw swipe from a Ursa.  
  
Then she jumped and, with her fist charged with her Semblance, unleashed a massive quake upon impact with the ground, sending all the Grimm and monster rolling on the ground. All, that was except the giant Boarbatusk and the silver Bokoblin, that merely calmed the Ursa it was riding with a push of the sword’s handle. She nodded as she looked at them. Of course it wasn’t that easy. _‘Well, then I should keep them for last if they won’t come at me.’_ She thought, and so focused herself on her other opponents. She noticed a Boarbatusk struggling on the ground and launched herself at it, immediately hitting the still exposed belly with three quick fists accompanied by a shot each time. The creature squealed and turned to dust, but she was already charging a red Bokoblin. The creature tried to rise its shield, but Yang pivoted on her left foot and turned the right in a hook that hit it on the side of the head. She felt with satisfaction a crack as the head jerked to the side and the Bokoblin exploded. She turned just in time to get hit on the abdomen by a Boarbatusk, but she let her Aura absorb the blow and simply rolled on the ground before picking herself back up, dodging a second and third slice from various Grimm before unleashing a series of quick punches and shots in the gut of the closest Ursa, followed by a second uppercut to a nearby Beowolf. The maces of two Bokoblins hit her, and she blocked them with both arms, before grabbing the closest one and pulling. The Bokoblin did not let it go, finding himself pulled up and then smashed down in the ground, a finishing punch hitting it in the face.  
  
Yang took a breath and a step back, punching another Beowolf as she did so, studying the remaining opponents. She was whittling their numbers down at a good speed. She normally would have already punched them all to kingdom come, but projectile economy was currently her biggest issue. She wasn’t exactly swimming in dust rounds, and she needed to save as much as she could for the main opponents, so she had to resort to normal Aura-boosted punches to do the rest of the job. A bit less effective, but she couldn’t be picky.  
  
She surged back forward, punching a Beowolf three times with a quick series of jabs before the impact of a Boarbatusk impacted on her side. In response, she planted her feet and grabbed the Grimm’s tusks, pulling it over her head before slamming it on a Blue Bokoblin like a makeshift mace. The creature growled and responded with an hit from a weirdly shaped mace, mostly made of bone, but she kept returning the hits, ignoring the squeals of her makeshift weapon. She stopped to swipe it at the incoming opponents, and that was when an arrow hit it right in the eye, making it disappear and leaving her unbalanced. A storm of hits got her, and she grunted as she fell on the ground before jumping back up just in time to avoid the last remaining Boarbatusk. With a glance she noticed the silver Bokoblin had switched to bow and arrow, explaining who had killed her weapon. She grinned. _‘Looks like he is smart.’_ She thought _‘Unfortunately, he really underestimated me.’_  
  
She clenched both fists and surged forward. She had been toying with the Grimm and monsters to charge her own Semblance, but now it was enough. She moved to full attack, unleashing a volley of straights, jabs, hooks and uppercuts that was rewarded with a compilation of snapping, breaking and smoke. Her last opponent, a second Blue Bokoblin, fell to the ground with a screech and she stood in the middle of a mess of horns, teeth and guts from the Monsters, before turning to her main opponents.  
  
“Come on, you walking bacon, this was a nice warm up, but you and your friend are the main course.” She said mockingly in the direction of the large Boarbatusk. The creature stomped forward, its larger eye closing and his back arching before erupting in blue flames that surrounded the metallic spikes and enveloped the tusks. She grinned once more “So you come pre-grilled? That’s nice of you.” She said, before dodging to the say and unleashing a flurry of blows to the side of the creature, each accompanied by a shot. To her surprise, it did not even faze it. _‘Right, tough one.’_ She thought, before a two arrows shot her direction. She moved out of the way, and looked at the mounted Bokoblin, launching arrow after arrow from the back of the moving Ursa with surprising accuracy. Meanwhile, the giant Boarbatusk had gained speed and was turning around, before rolling in a ball of fair and razor sharp metal.  
  
She ducked out of the way and quickly switched her left gauntlet to the bullets for long range, aiming not at the rolling inferno but at the Ursa. With the delight she saw it disappear after her bullets impacted on her, sending the Bokoblin tumbling on the ground. With that taken care of, she looked back at the main opponent. The creature was turning back, breaking everything in its path, be it walls and arches or trees, and leaving behind literal scorched earth.  
  
Yang smiled and unleashed her Semblance, feeling the fire surround her body and her eyes shifting to red, and after jumping to the side punched again with her right. With satisfaction she heard the creature screech as it was launched away from its path, three of the blades snapping as they were still planted in the ground when the creature had been sent flying. The great Grimm – _‘Burnbatusk? Bladebatusk? I should check with Weiss if… when I see her again’_ – Roared in anger, and Yang smiled.  
  
And then she was stabbed in the back. Or well, she would have been if her Aura wasn’t up. Instead, she just found herself feel a surge of pain from a specific point of her back, and turned around to see the Bokoblin, armed with a sword. “Still alive uh?” She said, “It was a bad idea to not run.” And she unleashed a burning fist… that the creature barely parried with the shield, before striking with the blade. She took a step back, barely dodging a swipe that, without her Aura, would have gutted her, then jumped to the side, dodging the Grimm hog’s burning roll of doom by inches and leaving herself open for another vertical slash followed by a thrust. She found herself thumble back, having barely blocked the hit with her gauntlet and unleashing a counter. Unfortunately, she was again forced to abort the attack when she had to jump out of the way.  
  
“Alright pig, you are a better swordsman than Jaune, I’ll give you that.” She smiled “Unfortunately, I am far better.” And she launched herself forward. The creature slashed in a panic, but she just punched with an uppercut, snapping the sword cleanly in half. She had to then jump out of the way of the giant Grimm once more, but she smiled looking at the angered expression of the other one. “Oh, come on, you don’t even know who that is, why taking it personal?”  
  
She dodged a large swipe and another roll of the giant and smiled. Now she had an idea. When her opponent hit with a mace it had quickly picked up, she blocked with the gauntlets and grabbed the weapon, using her remaining Aura to blunt the blow and her Semblance to outpower the Bokoblin. The creature squealed as she used her free hand to punch it in the face two times, before feeling the ground trembling. At the last second, she freed the bat and jumped back, watching in delight as the burning, rolling giant Grimm flattened the Bokoblin, leaving behind only a burning mace and a surprisingly intact shield on the ground below.  
  
The pig came to a halt and roared. “Oh, I am sorry, did you miss?” She asked with a large grin. The creature charged forward once more, now without rolling, and she smiled, jumping aside and punching again at the flank. The Grimm roared, but Yang felt her Aura lower at the impact.  
  
 _‘This guy is tough.’_ She thought, preparing one of her last cartridges. She grunted as the pig charged once more, leaving behind the last surviving wall in shambles, barely dodging but getting thrown away by the rotation. _‘And it’s getting faster.’_ She prepared herself, and bumped her own fists together, unleashing the full power of her Semblance and lashing forward, aiming at the Boarbatusk forehead. It was reckless, but if she didn’t manage to kill it now there wasn’t much more she could do.  
  
The moment her fist impacted, there was a weird burning sensation on her fist, like she had put her hand in a firepit. And then came the explosion. A dome of fire emerged from it, and her eyes went wide watching it create a hellscape all around her. The Grimm roared before burning into dust, its limit long reached, and Yang gasped as she fell to the ground, her Aura completely burned by the dome of fire. She struggled back on her feet, barely holding herself into consciousness. _‘What?’_ She wondered, looking at her hand. Her Semblance did not work like that. She didn’t create a fire that big, or that strong. The destructive power always came from her own strength. And the sensation…  
  
“Well, questions for later.” She said out loud “I really need to rest a bit now.” She added turning around. As she did, however, she spotted smoke raising from the distance, growing rapidly. In the direction of Hateno. More worryingly, she could clearly hear a faint sound that she could only describe as gunshots.  
  
“Never mind.” She commented with a grunt, slowly walking her way back to Hateno. Her Aura was slowly going to recharge, but she was still worried. It had taken everything out of her to take down the Grimm and monsters, and right now wasn’t really sure even someone as awesome as she was could take on alone something else. Right now, even a Creep could prove a challenge.  
  
Then the question became moot, when something hit her in the back of the neck. Before her eyes closed and she passed out, she could only see a black and red blur.  
  
-  
  
An hour later, deep in the night, Yang woke up. It took her a second to process what had happened. When she did, she jumped back up, her Aura charged thanks to her unwanted sleep, and started to run back to Hateno through the fastest possible road. Once the village came into view, she gasped. Many of the buildings were burning or were reduced to rubble. Near the village entrance was an abandoned pitchfork, and no sign of the gate guard. _‘I hope he didn’t just run…’_ She thought, before realizing that maybe she did. If what she had heard were really gunshots, they had been aimed at people that had no idea what Aura was. Meaning they had virtually no protection against them.  
  
Her thought process was interrupted when she noticed a light on the top of the mountain, emitting from what seemed the very top of Purah’s lab. She barely had time to process that before a laser beam fired her way. It was only the distance that saved her life, allowing her to jump out of the way and watch the explosion destroy the paved road where she was a moment before. She looked around, and decided to move behind the houses, thinking quickly. There were two options. Either someone was voluntarily aiming at her, meaning it was likely whoever had done this, or that thing was firing automatically, meaning it was likely a defense system someone had consciously activated. And if they had a defense system, it meant whoever had survived the attack was still up there.  
  
She made her way through the back of the houses, and that was when she noticed the first body. A fat Hylian shot in the gut. She gritted her teeth even more, almost feeling them crack. Because she had already figured out that whoever had done this had come from her world. She could only hope it was not someone that had tracked her down.  
  
Before long, she had made it to the edge of the village without the laser firing again her way. Luckily, so far only one person seemed to have died, the one she had ran into. Hopefully…  
  
And then she saw him. Sitting against the rock wall, breathing slowly, was Teli. She gasped seeing the large gash on his body, the result of an attack with a blade of some kind. It was surprisingly he was even still alive.  
  
“Teli!” She shouted, running to him. The man looked up to her, and he looked old, far older than he had seemed before.  
  
“Oh, Yang.” He replied, coughing “You are ok. That’s good to hear. Puya is pretty angry that you didn’t show up to her lab yesterday.”  
  
“Don’t talk! You are going to make it worse! Come on, we are going back to the lab. They can probably fix you there.”  
  
The man suddenly gasped, before coughing again, this time spitting some blood “Yang, you need to help them! The bandits are going there!”  
  
“Bandits?”  
  
“The bandits that attacked us. You need to help everyone.”  
  
“I am not leaving you here! You need help!”  
  
“Yang. I have traveled on the plains for a long time. I can tell when someone is not going to make it. Stop thinking about me.” He replied. There was an unusual calm in his voice. It was… resignation? “Go, please.”  
  
“But you…”  
  
“You have known me for two days, how am I that important for you that you would ignore everyone else up there needs help?! Go!” He shouted.  
  
Yang tried to think of something to say but nothing came to mind, so she just ran. She made her way up the mountain, using her last bullets to shot herself upwards. She made it just with her last normal bullet, if she had counted right.  
  
There were only ten men surrounding the house’s entrance, armed with simple guns and blades, currently shooting and beating on the door. They all turned to her as she quickly switched to her last long-range cartridges and just fired. The explosions sent most of them flying, rolling on the ground screaming and gasping, before making it back up slowly.  
  
“Which one of you?!” She shouted, “Which one of you decided it was a smart idea to do this?”  
  
“That would be the boss.” The tallest man, a guy with a longsword-gun that looked of marginally better quality than the rest of them, said, pulling the trigger “But she is already gone, kid.”  
  
Yang dodged out of the way of the incoming shot “So what, you are the trash she left behind?” The man growled and lunged forward with a large swipe of his blade, she ducked, dodging the blade and punching with all her strength. The man flew away, knocked in a tree that broke in half, his Aura broken in that single shot. The others looked at her. “Which one of you killed a man on the road up here?”  
  
They looked at each other, before they pointed at the man sprawled on the ground. Yang’s eyes still red, she stared at them “Put down your weapons, or else…”  
  
“Or else what?” A voice asked behind her. Yang turned to see a girl a little older than she was, with short brown hair, armed with two crescent-shaped blades.  
  
“I take you are the boss?” She asked.  
  
“Second, but close. Now, I believe we can stop talking.” She said, taking position to fight. Yang did the same, when suddenly there was a sound. It reminded her of a whistle. The short haired girl looked incredulous to the south, where the sound came from. “Retreat? But why?” She turned back to Yang, only to get a punch in the face. She was fast enough to roll in midair and land on her feet, but it still hurt. “You little…”  
  
The whistle sounded again, and the woman gritted her teeth “We are done here, start moving.” She said “And somebody grab that idiot.” She added pointing to the defeated bandit.  
  
“You are not going anywhere!” Yang shouted, “Not even for a second!”  
  
“Oh please. Like you can stop us.” She replied, and lunged forward. Yang barely stopped the crescent blades in time, before dodging and responding with a hook her opponent blocked with a crescent blade before slicing with the other.  
  
 _‘She is good.’_ Yang thought as they exchanged blows. She hated to admit it but she was outclassed right now. She was getting sliced time and time again, and her Aura was not fully replenished. She looked behind her, and noticed the bandits were already going, running down the mountain at full speed. Soon, they were gonna be out of her reach now that she was completely out of bullets. “Why?! And how did you even make it here?!”  
  
“You seriously think I will answer?” She replied, glancing behind her “You know, we could use someone like you.”  
  
“Please, I am too good for your kind.”  
  
“Pity, we could take you home. Not interested?” She replied. For a split second, Yang stopped in her track. It was enough for twin lasers to hit her in the chest and force her back, her Aura shattered. “See you.” The brunette concluded, before jumping off the cliff behind her. Yang looked down helplessly, watching her stop the fall by planting the blades on the mountainside and quickly landing, before disappearing from her field of view.  
  
Yang turned around and walked to the battered wooden door. “They are gone!” She shouted “You can come out.”  
  
There was no response for a moment, before the voice of a kid answered “Yang? Is that you?”  
  
“It’s me Puya. They are gone.”  
  
The door slowly opened, and Yang looked inside. The room was filled to the brim with basically everyone she had seen in the village, including a few dogs. None dead or in life danger, though there were a number of wounded. Puya emerged from the crowd to her left, covered in oil stains and with a screw in her hand. “What happened to Teli? He snuck out saying he would get us a core and…”  
  
Yang suddenly realized. She had been so focused on the girl’s last words she had almost forgotten to tell them “He was still alive when I found him, but he is gravely wounded! Maybe we can still save him! It’s down the road!”  
  
Puya nodded and a couple of less wounded villagers started running down the road. Yang prayed they could make it in time. “We need to talk.” The young child suddenly said, making her return her eyes to her.  
  
“About? I’d like to help with the wounded. I aced first aid at Signal.”  
  
She bit her lip, then nodded “Later then, they need you more. But please, as soon as you can.”  
  
“Sure thing, Puya.”  
  
“It’s… Purah, actually.” She replied, keeping her voice so low Yang could barely here it. Yang looked at her puzzled “I’ll explain. For now go, and please, don’t tell anyone.”  
  
The blonde Huntress nodded and walked to the closest wounded, helping as she could.  
  
But she couldn’t stop thinking of what the brunette had said. _‘We can take you home.’_


	13. Blake 3: Love

Blake slowly opened her eyes. She was sleeping in a large bed in what she recognized after a long moment as her room in Zora’s Domain. Looking around she suddenly realized that on a chair nearby was sitting Sidon, almost comedically slumped over a chair clearly built for a human, rather than a Zora like him.  
  
She tried to stand up, only to feel a jolt of pain to her right flank. She grunted, and that was all Sidon needed to turn his attention to her. “Blake!” He said, rushing to her side “Don’t stand up just yet. You were hit by a Thunder Arrow. It’s a miracle you are even still alive.”  
  
“I’ll be fine…” Blake said. She did not need more than a quick look to realize the Zora Prince was covered in cuts and bruises of his own, the result of his fight against the Imp. That was when the memory of what happened came back in a rush. “The Grimm horde, are they…”  
  
“We sent a scout up there earlier today. They are gone, all of them. You either scared them off, or they moved. Whichever it is, it can wait.”  
  
“No, it can’t! We made a mistake. The Imp survived!” Blake’s hand closed on the sheets. She knew well what letting a Grimm go meant: it would become stronger from the experience. She did not know if the creature could regenerate the lost limb, but it did not matter: a surviving Grimm is a more dangerous Grimm.  
  
“Yes, it survived but lost an arm. Maybe both, it’s hard to say.” Sidon said with a smile, keeping up his cheerful attitude. “And you left the Lynel with some wounds no Zora could have hoped to achieve alone. We should have a celebration.”  
  
Blake shook her head “Listen Sidon, I understand you are happy that we survived, but that Imp will come back for us and for the rest of the Zora. We… You need to prepare the defenses.” She replied, clutching her wound as she activated her Aura, trying to use it to speed up the healing process. Even if it didn’t quite close it, hopefully she was going to be able to walk “I’ll be better tomorrow at worst, but until then I need your help Sidon. Can you take me to your father?”  
  
“Absolutely. In fact, father wishes to speak with you.” The Zora moved uneasily, before taking down a weapon. With surprise, Blake recognized the sheet of Gambol Shroud. Only the sheet. “I managed to grab this while we were fleeing. I am afraid I… I did not manage to grab the rest.”  
  
“It’s… It’s ok.” She said, though she wasn’t really sure. Gambol Shroud had been something she had poured most of her free time into during her time in the White Fang. In a way, the weapon was a reminder of what she was, both in a good and a bad way. Both a reminder of what she fought for, and of what she had suffered. She put the end on the sheet and sighed “You have a blacksmith. I am sure I will manage to build a new one.” She added, trying to look more confident than she was. She would probably just build a sword for the time being. A gun was not something she was confident in building with the level of technology she had seen so far. _‘Ruby would probably manage to rebuild Crescent Rose in this world.’_ She found herself thinking _‘Maybe if I find her, she can help me with this.’_  
  
She stood up, putting the sheet to the side. To her surprise, next to her bed were some different clothes. “We put you in bed in your full outfit, but I know Hylians prefer to change and I figured you would as well. Those clothes were a gift someone made to my sister. She never put them on, so don’t worry about them being precious memories or similar things. They are just clothes. We don’t have a proper bathroom here, so a tub should arrive soon.”  
  
He kindly left the room, leaving her alone. As it turned out, ‘just clothes’ for the Zora meant a dress that would have been the envy of any princess from the fairy tales Ruby was so fond of. It was white and black, and Blake wondered if that was the original color, in an amazing coincidence, or if the King and Prince had recolored it for her. She was not really a ‘dresses’ kind of person, so she couldn’t tell if the color was recent. Weiss would have probably figured it out immediately.  
  
Soon after, a Zora walked in carrying a wooden tub that barely fit through the door and filled it with hot water, handing her a piece of soap and some bandages. She thanked him, and the Zora left with a bow. That was… surprising, but she put it aside, finally washing for the first time in days. Though she assumed her dive in the lake technically counted.  
  
After the bath, she dressed in her new outfit, promising herself to wash the previous one soon: she found that the long gown made her movements far too complicated for her liking. She walked down the stairs and emerged from the tower. She looked around to see many Zora murmur as she passed through. She could not quite understand what they were saying, but could understand clearly they were talking of her fight and the prince. _‘Are they blaming me for the failure?’_ She wondered, unsure. But she put the thought aside and walked in the room.  
  
Beside her, the room was filled with a number of people. Bazz and Gaddison were there, the former with bandages covering his right arm, as were Sidon and of course the King. However, a group of elderly Zora was also present, with Muzu on the lead. Three of them, of course including Muzo, were looking at her with some form of disdain, but she noticed a few were expressing something different. They seemed almost happy, even with the serious expressions they were putting up.  
  
“Muzo, I suggest once more that the presence of the Elders is not a necessity yet. Blake just woke up from a difficult fight and is still recovering. You have seen her abdomen. Frankly, if that Aura of theirs did not heal them, I don’t know if she would be able to walk right now.”  
  
Blake reflexively looked down at her body, even though it was currently covered by the dress. She had seen the large wound on her abdomen during her bath, and could tell it was going to leave a nasty scar. She wondered what the others would think if… once they met again. She quickly looked back up, and shook her head “It’s not a problem, King Dorephan.” She said “I am fine.”  
  
“You look paler just by saying that, and standing is clearly taking a toll on you.” The King replied “Gaddison, give her a chair.”  
  
The female Zora nodded and quickly moved a chair to Blake, who sit down. She knew it was meant as a kind gesture, but sitting like that meant she had to look even higher to look at the King’s face. “Thank you.” She said, meaning it. She had to admit, even with her Aura, she had no idea if she could stand for much longer before buckling.  
  
“It’s no problem. Now, let us speak. My son has already told pretty much to every Zora willing to listen in the Domain about your fight with the Grimm and the Lynel, so I don’t think we will need an accurate retelling. Everyone here knows Sidon is not someone that would boast beyond reason. I only wish to know if you feel the need to tell us anything on the fight.”  
  
Blake nodded “The Grimm survived. The leader, the one we call an Imp. It’s a dangerous creature, and letting it go means it will grow stronger from the experience. It lost an arm, but I know some Grimm can regenerate lost limbs over time, though I don’t know if that’s true for an Imp, so we can’t count on that remaining the case forever.”  
  
Sidon seemed taken aback, and Blake felt guilty for not telling him before. The King just continued to study her, but one of the members of the group the King had called Council spoke up. “What about the Lynel?”  
  
“It’s still alive, though it lost a horn and has some wounds. I do not know your monsters, so I don’t know if it will regenerate.”  
  
“Not until the next Blood Moon.” Bazz explained “So there is some time before that happens.”  
  
Blake nodded to him, and he quickly threw her a wink. Blake could not help but smile a bit, but then another of the elders, a large one with red scales spoke. He had a surprising deep voice for someone that appeared so frail. “What about the rest of the monsters and the creatures you called Grimm. What happened to them?”  
  
“We killed many, but Sidon told me the rest are gone. Most likely the Imp decided to change its hiding spot to have time to recover. That is a worrying sign: it means it’s already quite intelligent.” She explained “A lesser Grimm would have stubbornly kept the same hiding place.”  
  
“Do you know where they could have gone?”  
  
“Most Grimm, even bulky ones like the Ursas, are excellent climbers, and they have Creeps, who can easily dig underground, so they could really be anywhere.” She said “We’ll need to track them down again, unless… Well unless they attack first.”  
  
The Elder nodded “By the way, I want to thank you for saving the Prince’s life, Blake Belladonna. While some of us” He glanced towards Muzu, who glared back at him “Are convinced you just put him in danger, I disagree with them.”  
  
“Thank you.” She replied. It was good to know at least one of the elders was on her side, at least. Hopefully it meant she could convince the others too of her good intentions.  
  
“Now, for my next question.” The King said “There is something important to discuss. During our first meeting, you showed me your ability to create a shadow of yourself to take the hit, and explained to me that was what your people call ‘Semblance’. However, Sidon has described a different ability of yours. A shield, specifically. Can you explain it to us?”  
  
Blake shook her head “I don’t know what that was. It never happened to me before, not even when I was in great danger. It seems to be a shield that drains my Aura to repel blows, but I have never seen anything like it.”  
  
“Could you describe how it felt?”  
  
“Well… For a moment I felt like I was enveloped in water, but then it just became normal. I was surrounded by a barrier that would keep out anything dangerous and follow me as I moved. However, each time it was hit it would drain substantially more Aura. It’s what ultimately left me defenseless once we leapt down from that cliff.”  
  
“And you agree with Sidon when he said that it was shaped like a gemstone?”  
  
“I did not see it too well, since I was inside and differently occupied, but it’s possible.”  
  
The King seemed to ponder something for a moment, before turning to the Council “Well, Jiahto. What do you think?”  
  
“The description is correct, and so are the described effects. I can’t think of a single difference in our texts. Still, the idea it reappeared after such a long time is incredible.”  
  
“It really is.” King Dorephan replied “And yet, we can’t ignore it.” He turned to Blake “I believe what you experienced is the magic spell known as Nayru’s Love, one of the three Great Spells.”  
  
“A… magic spell?”  
  
“Nayru’s Love is a Great Spell that brings the wish to protect of the user into reality in the form of a shield. In your case, it appears that it lasts quite a long time, enough to drain most of your energy. That says a lot about you. There must be many things you wish to defend.” He tapped his fingers on the throne “That being said, this leaves you in quite the difficult situation, as the Spell is not something you can stop using once it is casted. You will need to learn how to use it on command, so you can avoid draining yourself early in a fight.”  
  
Blake reflexively touched her hear under the bow, the one that had been marked with the symbol of Nayru. “I… see. I will need to figure this out further.” She replied “But for now, I want to talk about defenses. You need to prepare. The Imp is likely coming sooner rather than later.”  
  
“I already sent out some scouts to make sure we are not caught off guard. There are only a handful of passages to the Domain, and we can guard both the waters and the bridges.” Bazz replied, and Gaddison nodded. Relieved, Blake returned her attention to the King “I suggest everyone else prepares. An horde like that will be a challenge to fight, even if we manage to take out the Imp and the Lynel.”  
  
Everyone in the room seemed to react to the idea of fighting a Lynel in their own way. The King’s arms closed on the throne’s armrests, the Elders started muttering to each other, and even Sidon’s smile seemed uncertain. That was when Blake remembered what he had told her. They were extremely weak to electricity. Which meant a field battle with one would turn into a slaughter.  
  
“I will fight the Lynel again.” She said “This time I know what to expect. I am sure I can do it, and I know it will help.”  
  
“I… thank you Blake, but please, don’t feel forced into that battle. You happened to stumble into our… country, and I hope you understand I don’t want to force you to defend us and risk your life. You saved my son, and for that I am grateful, but…”  
  
“No, King Dorephan.” Blake replied “I am a Huntress. It’s my duty to help people in need. I will rest for today and recover from my injuries. Then I will forge myself a new sword and…”  
  
“Forge yourself!” One of the Elders, that Blake recognized as Dento, the smith she had met before, said “Nonsense! I have been the Domain’s blacksmith for centuries. What kind of sword do you need? And don’t think I have never made a blade for Hylians or Gerudo! Just describe it, and I will do it.”  
  
Blake was surprised by the changed attitude of the man. The day before he had almost completely refused to speak to her. ‘ _Why this change?’_ She wondered, before deciding it was better to take him up on the offer. “I need a short sword with one side blunt and one sharpened. I can make some drawings if you want.”  
  
“That would be good, the description makes me think of a shorter version of the Gerudo Scimitar.” He commented. “As for the price I…”  
  
“I will pay for it.” Sidon said “It’s my fault Blake lost her weapon.”  
  
“I was about to say, my prince, that I don’t want anything.” Dento replied with a bit of disdain “For the Savior of Prince Sidon there is no need to pay for a sword.”  
  
“I… The Savior of Prince Sidon?” Blake asked, surprised.  
  
King Dorephan’s laugh surged, a deep bellow that would have been usually more terrifying than funny “Blake, did I not tell you that Sidon has told everyone of your courageous act? You saved his life stopping that Thunder Arrow, and you did so without any barrier to protect yourself. You could have very well died for that. Everyone in Zora’s Domain is indebted to you.”  
  
Blake was shocked, but looking around she saw almost only looks of approval. From Bazz, from the King, even from most of the Elders. Only Muzu and another seemed disdainful of her. “You’ll find, young warrior” The red colored Elder said “That we Zora can be very welcoming. In hindsight, we should have been from the start, but there are many wounds that are slow to heal.”  
  
-  
  
The rest of the meeting had gone by with little difficulty. It ended after about an hour of discussion on possible hideouts and organizing the defenses, where she helped as she could. Then everyone started to leave, and she did the same, standing up. She still felt weak, but she was already better, thanks to her Aura working on healing the wound. Walking did not feel like the task it had been before, though she was still limping a bit.  
  
“Can I help you?” A female voice asked, and she turned to see the pale scales of Gaddison. The female Zora looked embarrassed as she offered her arm to Blake. She chose to accept it, and the two walked out. “I need to thank you.” Gaddison said “For saving the Prince, and for offering to fight the Lynel.”  
  
“I only did what I think was right. I couldn’t let Sidon die.” She replied.  
  
Gaddison nodded “I should also apologize. I was rude towards you the last few days. Is just… I guess I was a bit envious.”  
  
“Envious?”  
  
“I always wanted to be respected as a warrior. We Zora don’t have any problem with a woman taking up weapons and choosing the warrior’s path, but it’s still rare for one to become a respected warrior on her own right. The last to succeed in that was the Princess a century ago.” She shook her head “I guess seeing you, a newcomer no one knew, leading us, including Prince Sidon, made me envious. I am sorry for that.”  
  
“It’s not a problem.” She replied “I have been disliked for worse reasons. In my world, people like me are shunned for our appearance.”  
  
Gaddison looked at her, puzzled “I don’t know much about what the humans find attractive, but you don’t seem someone they would dislike for your appearance.”  
  
Blake shook her head “I am part of a group that shares a distinct trait. It makes us easy to recognize, and many humans dislike us for it.”  
  
“I see. I am sorry to hear that. I want you to know the Zora won’t do that. I don’t know if you are hiding it purposefully or by coincidence, or if it’s just something I cannot recognize, but you are the Savior of Prince Sidon. No one, except some Elder, will show disdain for you, much less for something in your appearance.”  
  
Blake looked around. Many Zora were waving her way, now that they had moved in the part of the Domain where most people spent their day. To her surprise, a few of them – mostly girls, she noticed – walked up to her and thanked her. A few had actual tears in their eyes. Blake awkwardly thanked them, unsure of how to react, then finally made it to the tower. Gaddison accompanied her to her room – her help was actually very useful in making it up the stairs, Blake realized – and she sat down. “Thank you for your help.”  
  
“It was nothing. I’ll go back to my post. Have a good rest.” She said, with another quick bow. Blake sat on her bed, and then noticed her clothes were gone. She could only guess they had been taken to be washed. Which left her on her bed in a very uncomfortable dress. She might have taken it off if she knew no one was going to walk in on her, but as it was she really did not want to.  
  
Luckily, it did not really matter, as a few minutes later she was asleep.  
  
-  
  
The creature similar to a jellyfish was swimming in the water under a clear sky. Blake looked at them, trying to understand what it was. It had a mouth shaped like a trumpet, and an almost a humanoid shape. They looked around as a young man with blonde hair and a green uniform jumped in the lake and followed them, disappearing in a tunnel. She followed them.  
  
As she emerged on the other side, she found herself suddenly walking behind a far younger blonde kid, dressed in green. They were walking together, and as they walked Blake saw the Zora. Unlike the ones she had seen before, they were different. Humanoid, but their color was uniform. In some way, they seemed more humanoid. Their clear blue skin was spotted with darker dots.  
  
She continued to follow the kid, watching him climb to speak to an enormous Zora, but as she followed him down a tunnel she saw the cavern change. She stopped as she entered a large chamber, where a young man with the shadow of a wolf, accompanied by a strange creature with a crown on her head, kneel to what seemed to be the ghost of a beautiful Zora female, and be handed an armor that resembled the body of one of their species.  
  
She tried to understand what she was seeing, but she could not, until she closed her eyes as a light, that same light that had brough her to Hyrule, blinded her. As she opened her eyes again, she found herself floating in the water. Above her were swimming hundreds, thousands, an uncountable numbers of Zora of all shape and form, along with the medusa-like creatures, that now she could only guess were their ancestors.  
  
 _‘Long ago, with the help of my sister Farore, I created the Patella, that later became the Zora.’_ A voice said, resonating in her mind _‘I wished for them to be gifted with rule over the waters. To be kind, wise souls. I wished for them to be brave warriors. And my desire became a reality. Through their history, they flourished, fell and rose again like all creatures must. But one thing remained true. They could always count on the help of one of a different kind when they were in need.’_  
  
A figure appeared in the water. Well, truly there were no details Blake could recognize. It was made of bubbles, a whirlpool in the shape of a woman, but with no clear feature on her face. _‘I believe you can be that hero, Blake Belladonna. I believe you can give them your strength, your wisdom. Your kindness. I have seen your selfless actions in this world.’_ Blake could feel a smile _‘Help the Zora, and help Hyrule, Blake Belladonna. Once you are in need, your guide will come for you. But first, you must protect the Domain from their closest enemy.’_  
  
And with that, the light shone once more, and Blake closed her eyes. _'May the blessing of my Love always protect you, Blake.'_  
  
-  
  
When Blake woke up, the pain to her flank was gone, and there was a storm outside. Rain was pouring from the sky, a torrential flood like she had seen only a few time back on Remnant. Her normal clothes were back on the chair to her left, and she did not hesitate to change back into them, leaving behind the other dress without an issue. It was pretty, but hardly something she would normally wear.  
  
  
She thought of her dream, of the entity that had spoke to her. _‘Nayru…_ ’ She thought. If she had ever doubted the fact a Goddess had brought her there, this was all the proof she needed. _‘But what is it I must do?’_ She wondered.  
  
Then, she heard the shouts and calls. She could not quite make out what was happening, but she decided to go check. She grabbed what was left of Gambol Shroud and walked out of the door, running down the stairs. She found the Zora outside, looking at the sky in the large plaza around Mipha’s Statue.  
  
“Sidon!” She exclaimed, noticing the Zora prince “What is going on.”  
  
“Vah Ruta, the great Divine Beast, has awakened.” Sidon replied, “And it has summoned this rain.”  
  
“Is that… bad?” She asked. A few people around turned to her surprised, but Sidon just nodded.  
  
“You have seen the dam. It will be slow, but eventually it will fill and collapse. Once it does, Zora’s Domain will be destroyed, while a devastating flood invades western Hyrule. Many will die.”  
  
“Can’t we do anything?”  
  
“I asked my father. He says that there is no way to enter the Divine Beast without an item known as a Sheikah Slate, unless one was its rider. Without entering, we have no way to stop this. And we can’t travel to seek one, because of the creatures that now lurk around the village.”  
  
“So if you do nothing, you will be swiped away by a flood in months, if you try to leave and look for help, you will be killed by the Grimm.” She commented.  
  
“A dire situation, isn’t it?”  
  
“Yes, but there is a solution.” Blake said, “We fight the Grimm, and open a path to search for that Slate.”


	14. Yang 3: Future

Purah and Yang were sitting on opposite sides of the table. In the end, it had taken an entire day to have the discussion they had agreed to. Before there were wounded to help, work to do in town. _‘Bodies to bury.’_ Yang thought grimly. In the end, four Hylians and two bandits had died. Teli was among them. He was already dead by the time the people Yang had sent had reached him.  
  
Yang knew that back home things like this were normal. People died, and small villages disappeared all the time. However, that was of little help in dealing with what had happened in Hateno. Especially because she could not shake the feeling that somehow, she was connected to the bandits: how else would people from Remnant end up in Hyrule? And that blur of red and black she had seen…  
  
“We are in grave danger.” Purah finally said, breaking both the silence and her line of thought. She turned to her. Finding out that the little girl that had introduced herself as Puya was actually Purah, the scientist Teli wanted Yang to meet, had been another surprise, but somehow Yang found it easier to accept. Perhaps because after all this was a different world.  
  
Yang nodded “If the Bandits come back…”  
  
“Oh, they will. I’m not stupid. Not today or tomorrow but they will, that’s how it works.” She said “Bandits are a pestilence. Once they appear, it takes a long time to remove them, and the risk of them appearing again is always in the air.”  
  
“You have experience?”  
  
Purah sighed “There was a time after the Calamity called the Age of the Burning Fields. It was terrible. Monsters and machines were scorching Hyrule Field and beyond, the Battle of the Akkala Fortress killed every Knight, and so much was lost. However, it was also a time of bandits. Desperate people, violent people, mad people… all kinds banded together in small groups and started to attack the fledgling villages.” She shook her head “It’s a chapter of our history we are trying to forget. Eventually, all bandits either joined the Yiga Clan, one of the villages, or where killed by monsters and infighting. And yet, here we are again.”  
  
Yang nodded “In my world, bandits are an enormous danger for villages outside the Kingdom. Once they attack a village, they leave behind destruction and sorrow, which attract the Grimm.”  
  
“Well, at least those aren’t a problem. Right?”  
  
“If they were going to attack, they would have done it by now. I think you are in the clear. Just try to keep an eye open for any sign of them.” Yang replied.  
  
“I will. Now, I need to talk about our future… and your role in it.” She smiled “I believe Din sent you to our world. The weapons of the Bandits and the ones you own, your powers, the manner of speech you use, the Grimm you have described, all this tells me you and them don’t come from this world. So I imagine you will not be able to stay forever. Sooner or later you will want to leave and search a way home.”  
  
Yang nodded “I am a Huntress, I want to help, I will gladly kick the butt of anyone that tries to attack you while I am here… but I need to go back. Go home.”  
  
“I understand that. That’s why I want to ask you something. I understand you don’t have weapons anymore. Your gauntlets don’t have any more… ammo? You used that term right?”  
  
“Yes, it’s another way to say ammunitions. I consumed them all to fight the Grimm and the bandits, so now Ember Celica is just a pair of mechashifting gauntlets. They still hurt if you hit someone, but they don’t really pack the same _punch_.” She said. Surprisingly, Purah did not groan, so she terminated the pause and continued “I guess I will need to rely on my Semblance even more.”  
  
“That’s not necessarily true.” The Sheika scientist replied “I know a researcher that is studying a way to replicate the ancient Sheika Weapons. You saw the laser, right? Imagine that, but inside your gauntlet.”  
  
Yang imagined that, and grinned. “That would be pretty sweet. So where is this researcher guy? I’ll go meet him.”  
  
“Up north, in Akkala. He is a bit… odd, but you can at least trust him with Sheika technology.” Purah explained “Now, if you decide to go that way, I have a favor to ask. Well, two. First, I want to send a letter to Zora’s Domain about our current situation. It’s better if they know of those bandit, but it’s also because years ago their prince helped Lurelin with a giant Octo, so I hope they might be willing to spare a few warriors.”  
  
“Well, if it’s not too much of a detour…”  
  
“Thank you. The second favor is to accept some company in your journey.”  
  
“What?” Yang asked “No offense, but I don’t think you have anyone in your village that wouldn’t slow me down.”  
  
“No, that’s true. It’s more accurate to say I’m asking you to be someone’s bodyguard.” Purah answered. “See, after the attack Bolson brought up again the idea of building another village in Akkala. It’s a good idea, and now most people would be happy to help. He is sending Hudson up there to start the work.”  
  
“And you want me to go with him.” Yang said “Well I can’t really say no.”  
  
“I’m not finished.” Purah replied “Specifically, he can’t go alone. We hired two more people to accompany him.”  
  
“Well at least I am used to a team of four. Who is it.”  
  
“One is Pruce. He makes arrows and sells food or used to. One of the shops destroyed in the fight was his. The other is Parcy. She was a treasure hunter, but lately she hasn’t really been able to work, so she has been travelling looking for a job.”  
  
“And why do we need them?”  
  
“First of all, because I need Hudson to finish that village quickly, and he will get extra help this way. I had to discuss a lot with Bolson to get him to break his rule on who can work for his company, but I did it. Second, because both Pruce and Parcy have experience in travelling through Hyrule. Pruce visited Akkala and Kakariko in his youth, it’s where he learned to make Bomb Arrows. Parcy is a treasure hunter, so she knows a lot about monsters and valuable weapons. I believe they will be useful.”  
  
Yang thought about it. She was still a bit unconvinced. “So, who will be left defending the village? No offense, but your gate guard isn’t really threatening.”  
  
“I know. I sent Symin to Kakariko for that reason. The Hylians might not be fighters, but the Sheika are.”  
  
“And until then?”  
  
“We will make do with bows and the laser.” She replied.  
  
“I have a better idea. If it works, at least.”  
  
“What is it?”  
  
“I can awaken the Aura of some of your people. It won’t probably make them as strong as the bandits, but they can at least protect themselves better.” She explained “Well, I don’t know if it will work on you until I try, but it’s worth a shot.”  
  
“I take this ‘Aura’ is the reason why it seemed our weapons could not pierce them, right?”  
  
“It’s more than that. Aura is the expression of your very soul. It protects us, strengthens us, heals us.” She thought a moment “We can also develop a Semblance, but I don’t know if that would apply to you too. Trying to unlock the Aura of someone that isn’t from our world has never been done before.”  
  
Purah thought for a moment, then nodded. “Fine. Try it with me.”  
  
“Are you sure?”  
  
“We need to know if it works. Otherwise, we are at a disadvantage, aren’t we?”  
  
“Extremely so, yes. In my world basically anyone that has any reason to fight awakens their Aura, even some simple street thugs. If you get attacked again…”  
  
“It would be good to have it and even the field as much as possible, yes. Come on, do it.” Purah finished.  
  
“Ok…” Yang put a hand on her chest. “I know some people do some chanting while they do it, but personally I never was that much into it. So…”  
  
Yang rushed her Aura through Purah’s body, and then felt her own Aura almost disappear completely. It was like it was sucked away by a vacuum. She stumbled and grabbed the table, almost falling on the floor. Purah stopped looking at her now shining hands and grabbed Yang, helping her sit down. “Are you ok?!”  
  
“That was… Wow… Never seen someone that required that much Aura to awaken. You have a lot of it. I mean, I know Jaune made Pyrrha sweat, but I think you might be above him. I hope not everyone is at that level.” She grinned “Girl, I need to help you figure out that Semblance of yours, if you have one. You have the talent to be a juggernaut.”  
  
“Thank you? I have no idea what a ‘juggernaut’ is, but this feels… good.”  
  
“Excellent. Remember this sensation and try to memorize it and call upon it at will. You will stumble a couple times but it should feel natural after a while.”  
  
“Noted.” She said, slowly stopping to shine “You can’t know in advance how much Aura it will take you to unlock someone else’s, right?”  
  
“Nope.” Yang replied “But don’t worry, unlocking someone can’t kill me. Worst case scenario, I consume it all and have to rest a bit and eat something before…” She stopped, suddenly realizing something “Wait, wait, wait. Do you have any of your cooked food?”  
  
“What?”  
  
“Your cooked food. Like that meat they make at the tavern down there.”  
  
“Well, I should be able to make something. Why?”  
  
“Make me something, please. I want to try something.”  
  
Purah raised an eyebrow but left, leaving Yang alone to recover. Ten minutes later, she was back with an omelette. “Here. It’s the best I can do quickly.”  
  
Yang nodded and took a bite, before quickly eating it all, and smiling “Amazing…”  
  
“What is it?”  
  
“Your food recharges Aura. I thought it was just something neat, maybe useful to train, since I can’t really eat a bag of food in the middle of a fight to the death, but now we have a way to make it useful.”  
  
“Your plan is to devour all the supplies in Hateno while you awaken the Aura of everyone?” Purah asked.  
  
“No, no, the village probably doesn’t have much left. But I can probably handle one or two people here and the three that have to come with me.” She smiled “That way, we can save some time and leave today.”  
  
Purah stopped to think for a moment. Yang thought that the woman actually looked her age when she was serious, like she had been during their talk. However, she had also seen her other side, the one she used to the public, and she wondered which one was more genuine. Was she trying to act serious to convince her or was she really serious and just acted silly with strangers? _‘Blake probably would say something insightful about it. I got nothing though.’_  
  
“Well, it’s worth a try. I’ll call everyone we need to the inn and we can get started. Is there anything else you need?”  
  
Yang thought. She wasn’t about to ask her question on Purah’s real personality, and she couldn’t think of… “Wait, yeah, now I remember. During the fight, my Semblance did something weird. Or well, I’m not sure if it was my Semblance. I never managed to do anything like that back in Remnant, so I was actually wondering if this was something I picked up here in Hyrule. I kinda forgot thanks to all this mess.”  
  
“What is it?” Purah asked, suddenly interested. She moved closer.  
  
“Well, a byproduct of my Semblance is that I produce heat. Usually it’s more like a…” She realized a radiator wasn’t the right comparison. After a moment, she found one “A campfire, you know. Hot, but it won’t seriously hurt anyone unless they try to do something really stupid like keeping an hand in contact with it. But the other day what I did was… different. It was like a surge of fire emerged from my fist and engulfed the Grimm. Does that sound familiar?”  
  
Purah tapped her chin, deep in thought. “Mmmmh, a giant surge of fire, you say? Well, I actually have an idea.” She jumped up, running to her desk “Before this whole mess I was looking through your problem, see. I didn’t find much, but the ancient Sheika built the runs based on the magic that the people of Hyrule wielded before, although they only succeeded with Farore’s Wind, so I found this.” She said, placing a piece of paper on the table. “It mentions something called Din’s Fire, a ‘dome of fire that brings doom to all enemies of the Goddess’. I don’t know if that’s it, but you have the symbol of Din still on your hand, so that might be it.”  
  
Yang nodded “I guess. Any idea who might know more? I’m kinda interested if it helps burning the Grimm to a crisp.”  
  
“Probably the Gerudo or my sister in Kakariko, Impa. The former are one of the closest to Din, and my sister is deep into the whole ancient lore thing. Personally, I don’t get it. Machines are a lot more interesting.”  
  
“But those are the wrong way for me, right?”  
  
“Yeah… But wait, the Goron are not!”  
  
“Who?”  
  
“The Goron. They live on Death Mountain, an active volcano. They are… peculiar, but it’s possible they would know something. They have their own form of magic and are close to Din too. Is just that they are a bit less… academic in their knowledge.”  
  
“Ok, so the plan is to go to Akkala, from there to an active volcano called Death Mountain, and then maybe I can get some folk tale to explain if I really can burn the Grimm, right?”  
  
“Yeah, it doesn’t sound really…”  
  
“Sounds good.” Yang replied.  
  
“Wait, what?”  
  
“Well, I am reasonably sure my sister is here, right? So the more I move, the more it’s likely I’ll run into someone that has seen her. Or she might hear of me, which is equally good. And I also get to help, so it’s two birds with one stone.” She simply replied, with a shrug “Also, I probably never told you, but I became an Huntress because I am a thrill seeker. Going up an active volcano sounds like a real thrill, don’t you think?”  
  
Purah looked at her in confusion for a long moment, then chuckled “Well, I guess I should expect something like that from Din’s Champion. The few documents I found mentioned that the chosens of Din are as powerful as they are savage.”  
  
“Sounds like me alright.” She said, then noticed Purah’s expression. “What is it?”  
  
“Well, they also said they were… dangerous.” She sighed “After all, Ganondorf, who eventually became Calamity Ganon, was said to be one. He does wield the Triforce of Power, the piece created by Din.”  
  
Yang took a step back “Wait, you mean the end-of-the-world giant pig from the story Teli told me is supposed to have been blessed by a Goddess?”  
  
“I’m not sure, it’s just some stuff a Sheika put down a long time ago. He certainly isn’t anymore, but after all a Goddess can take away her blessing on a whim. You’d have to ask a Gerudo, they are the only one that know the truth at this point.”  
  
“Why them?”  
  
“Because Ganondorf was their king millennia ago.” Purah replied. Yang just looked at her, baffled, before the young girl left the room.


	15. RWPE 2: Yiga

Emerald found that her new position as one of the Rito’s heroes was of her liking. Specifically, because those same Rito had decided that so long as they stayed in Rito Village, they should be given each their own room, an almost unending amount of food, and all the time in the world to accommodate themselves. She laid idly on her bed, leisurely eating some kind of strawberry the Rito had offered her. She frowned.  
  
The music was really the only downside.  
  
“ _Emerald, beautiful she, Emerald Sustrai… Strong as ten regular Hylian definitely…”_ The young Rito was trying his best, she could tell, pity that meant he was not doing well.  
  
“Kid, you have been stuck with only those same two lines done for a whole day. It’s starting to get annoying.” She said, trying to be polite in her tone, if not in her words. She wasn’t really good at it, but in her defense she had been stuck listening to him for hours.  
  
“I-I am sorry miss Sustrai. I just don’t know how to continue…”  
  
“Have you thought to write about someone else’s exploits? Maybe that will help you.” She said, as another berry disappeared in her mouth. Those things were really good.  
  
“No, I want to write a song about you! My father is Kass, the traveling bard, and he has taught me enough! I can do it!” The young Rito said, and Emerald sighed.  
  
 _‘Patience, I can’t insult him or just kick him out…’_ She knew that doing that could make many of the Rito frown upon her behavior. It’d probably make her ‘friends’ angry as well, since they were so busy trying to come up with ways to help that stupid village, especially now that the other problem had added itself to the Grimm. Their current plan was about teaching the Rito what different kinds of Grimm could do. Emerald had excused herself from most of those lessons, preferring to stay comfortable in her room, away from them. “But why me? Weiss and Pyrrha are the ones that did most of the work.”  
  
“But you saved those people with your chains! It was awesome! Everyone can use a lance or a sword, but not many people can fight with those weird weapons you have!” He said with what she supposed was a smile. It was hard to say with a beak.  
  
“Fine, fine, but can you at least leave me alone for a bit? I want to rest.”  
  
“I thought you were already resting.” The young Rito said, and she sighed.  
  
“Right. I want to rest _alone_. Can I?”  
  
“Certainly, miss Emerald.” He said, leaving. She looked at him leave in silent relief, and looked around. The room she had been given was an open wooden structure on the side of the mountain. She had no idea of what she was supposed to do in the event of a storm, but she guessed the center of the room at least would be safe. As she tried to decide what to do, she heard a sudden creaking of wood. She turned to the side, and looked at the parapet.  
  
Most people would have just dismissed it, but Emerald knew better. As she thought, a moment later there was another creak, this time from the floor. She swiftly took out Thief’s Respite and attacked the air.  
  
There was a clang of metal on metal, and she watched as a round, metallic weapon, some sort of one handed spiked blade, appeared, along with the body of a woman clad from head to toe in an adherent body suit with a large eye on the chest. She had a mask over her face, white with the same eye on it. A large, curved bow was on her back.  
  
“Who are you?” She asked, holding her grip on Thief’s Respite. She could feel her opponent pushing, a surprising strength behind her arms.  
  
“A friend.” She said.  
  
“Never seen you befo…” She started, before remembering her vision. A name came to mind “Yiga?”  
  
“I’m an Yiga, yes. Now can you put that down?” She asked. Emerald felt her opponent’s weapon slightly give in. Could have been she was having a hard time holding on, could have been she was just giving her a hint. Emerald slowly pulled her weapon back, and the woman did the same.  
  
“I was told I was supposed to find the Yiga. I guess you found me instead.” She said, sitting down.  
  
The Yiga woman did not listen, instead focusing on the fruits that were amassed on the table on the side. At least, that’s what Emerald thought she was looking at. That stupid mask didn’t even seem to have eye holes, how did she even see? What surprised her, was the woman running toward the table and clutching three bananas, that quickly disappeared in the small leather pack she had on the side. “Sorry.” She suddenly said.  
  
“Uhm, are you ok?”  
  
“Yes, just… This is a valuable asset, and I could not help but want it.”  
  
“I… see…” _‘Is she insane? Those are damn bananas.’_  
  
The woman did not say anything else, merely grabbing a chair and sitting in front of Emerald. She wondered again how the mask worked. As much as she tried, the thief could not see any way for her to see.  
  
“I was spying Rito Village, and Master Koga ordered me to keep an eye on you.” She suddenly said, interrupting her flow of thoughts. “I chose to approach you because I have questions on your allegiance to our great lord.”  
  
Emerald gripped her hands on Thief’s Respite’s handles. “What kind of questions?”  
  
“Why are the others that came with you still alive?”  
  
Emerald blinked “Are you suggesting I should kill them now? In a city that doesn’t even have closed windows, let alone a place where I can be sure to not be seen?”  
  
“No.” The woman replied “I’m asking why you helped them during the fight with the Grimm. You could have pretended to and purposefully missed. You didn’t. You could have pretended to try and save some Rito, and instead let them fall to their deaths. You didn’t. So I am wondering if you have a reason to act like this.” The questions were asked in a casual tone, but Emerald could hear the threat underneath. _‘If you don’t give me a good reason, there will be consequences.’_  
  
She smiled “I don’t think you understand what targets you are throwing at me. The Invincible Girl alone is strong enough to put up a challenge.”  
  
“Yes, I have noticed her prowess. But you are stronger than her, did you forget?”  
  
 _‘So she knows about that too…’_ She thought, looking at the back of her hand. “I did not. Trust me, there is more to them than what meets the eye. It’s not that easy to kill a Huntsman or Huntress when they are on the ready, and they have been constantly for the last few days. If you think I can just sneak on them…”  
  
“I think you can, yes.” She said, dropping something on the table. Emerald looked in confusion at Ren’s dual weapons, the ones he called StormFlower. “He didn’t even notice.”  
  
“Which begs the question of why you didn’t just slit his throat. Oh, wait, it’s because you knew you couldn’t, isn’t that right?” Now she was getting angry. “If I had to steal from them, I’d have done it already. That’s not what Ganon…”  
  
“Lord Ganon, do not be impudent.”  
  
Emerald scoffed “That’s not what _Lord Ganon_ asked from me. He wants them dead. So, you will let me do it my way. Is that clear? Moreover, his exact orders were to find you first. Even he clearly does not expect me to kill them right away.”  
  
The woman stared at her – or that was what Emerald supposed she was doing, she couldn’t tell because of that stupid mask – for a long minute. Then she nodded. “Very well. It is not my job to question our lord’s wisdom. However, know this. You should get going. Your mission has been given, and we will make sure you don’t delay it for too long. The Yiga Clan will always be watching you.” She tapped her mask “This symbol isn’t just for show. We will keep a close eye on you.”  
  
“Do that, sure.”  
  
“Now attack me, quick.” The woman suddenly said, taking out her weapon. Emerald responded in kind, sickle and circular spiked blade clanging against each other. She noticed a second later hurried step and a couple of Rito, a female with the annoying kid, gasp, before hurriedly running off calling for help against an Yiga attack.  
  
Emerald grimaced. She had not noticed the two, but the Yiga clearly had. “So, what’s your name?”  
  
“Gohma. It means ‘Guardian’s bane’. Good luck to you, Emerald Sustrai. May our lord’s blessing lead you to greatness.” And saying so she jumped off the window. Turning around, she flawlessly switched from her weapon to the bow, and unleashed two arrows, that hit ground right in front of Emerald. The girl could tell she had missed on purpose, but what really surprised her was seeing her disappear in a puff of smoke, leaving behind only papers that fluttered away in the wind.  
  
-  
  
Weiss run upstairs at a fast pace, followed closely by Pyrrha and Ren, along with two Rito warriors. They rushed in Emerald’s room just in time to see her sigh in relief as she put down Thief’s Respite and picked up an arrow.  
  
“Emerald, are you ok?” Weiss asked.  
  
“Sure am.” She grinned “That one probably doesn’t feel the same.”  
  
“Magnificent, miss Sustrai!” One of the two Rito guards bellowed “Fending off an Yiga is quite the achievement, if nothing else because of their supernatural abilities.”  
  
“Thank you.” Emerald replied with a large smile “Now, Ren, I got those.” She said, handing him StormFlower. He looked at the weapons in surprise “She stole them from you, and I got them back.”  
  
“Thank you.” Ren said, bowing.  
  
Weiss studied the room. There were signs of combat, including the arrow, but it must have been a quick fight. It was probably interrupted when the enemy had been sighted. “Any idea on why they came after you?”  
  
“Probably because I was alone.” Emerald replied “I assume they don’t want to fight outnumbered.”  
  
“It would make sense.” The other guard said, nodding in agreement “The Yiga are skilled assassins, but that means they don’t often fight while outnumbered. Still, a full conflict with them would be extremely bloody.”  
  
“We will need to set up a tighter watch.” Pyrrha said “If the Yiga come back…”  
  
“Or we should leave.” Emerald said, and everyone looked at her.  
  
“What?!” Weiss asked “We can’t leave them alone!”  
  
Melia appeared next to Weiss, buzzing incredulously _“Sorry to be so blunt, but even if you aren’t their Champion, you should at least be worried about the Rito!”_  
  
“Weiss, I don’t mean it like abandoning them, but while we were fighting, she said they are after us four. It’s probably better if we leave.”  
  
Weiss stopped, and Melia did the same. The heiress could understand what Emerald was saying. So long as they were there, the Yiga were going to attack the village. But if they left, the village wouldn’t have to worry about them any longer. “If it’s true, then you are right. I’ll go talk with Teba and the chieftain about the defensive plan we discussed. You three should start packing.”  
  
The three nodded, and Weiss left the room to follow the stairs upwards, to where the chieftain was. With a bit of luck, she would also find Teba there. _“So, we are going to the Plateau, right?”_ Melia asked.  
  
“Yes. That’s our main concern right now. If we can get to this Plateau, we should be able to get started in solving this situation and hopefully go back home. And if we have assassins stalking us, we need to move even faster now.” She said, as they made it up the city and met with the chieftain of Rito Village. As she hoped, Teba, the strongest warrior in the city, was there, discussing something with him.  
  
Weiss had to admit, she did not find the Rito chieftain particularly convincing as an authority figure. Even the other Rito seemed to show only a minimum of respect for the elder creature. Kaneli was large, an owl-like being with various shades of brown for feathers. His feather-beard, as he called it, was kept in a long tail. Weiss had to wonder how that worked. The elder Rito was wise enough, she supposed, but he didn’t know much beyond tales and stories about the Age of Calamity, since he was not born yet. At least, however, he did know the Sheikah Slate was necessary to confront Vah Medoh.  
  
 _‘Which is such a mess.’_ She thought, looking up. Two days before, Vah Medoh had decided to start blasting its laser at any Rito that had the idea of flying around Rito Village. No one knew exactly why that was, but since then the Rito were landlocked like any other person so long as they were anywhere near the village. She wondered what that felt like. Was it like being forced to walk when one could run, or more like being forced to crawl when they could walk?  
  
“We need to scout Vah Medoh! We can do it!” Teba was saying, pacing up and down in front of the elder.  
  
“No you can’t.” Weiss said, without even bothering to announce herself. Teba threw her a glare, while she noticed an amused glint in Kaneli’s eyes.  
  
“Are you humans all such cowards? Yes, it’s dangerous, but we need to know what we are up against.”  
  
“I’ll tell you. You are up against a bird fortress that shoots giant laser beams. Exactly what do you hope to accomplish by diving head first into that?” She replied “Not to mention, even if you were to land, how do you plan to get inside. You heard what the chief said. You need a Slate to get inside.”  
  
“With due respect to the chief, he is only retelling stories.” Teba noted “I would like to check with my own eyes.”  
  
Kaneli coughed “Young Teba, I understand that your role as warrior is important to you. But I must say again that you cannot enter the Divine Beast without a Sheikah Slate. You would only risk to wound or kill anyone that was to come with you and yourself. It’s brave, but…”  
  
“It’s ridiculous, stupid and shortsighted, that is what it is.” Weiss interjected.  
  
“Oh yeah, Ice Queen? I suppose you have a better idea then.” The warrior retorted. Weiss swore she would choke Emerald with her own chains for letting that accursed nickname slip.  
  
“Yes, in fact, I was here to inform you we are leaving.”  
  
“Things are going badly so you leave?”  
  
“We aren’t. We are going to find a Sheikah Slate.” She pointed at Melia “She knows where we can find one. I’ll find one and then we can actually think of entering the Divine Beast.”  
  
Kaneli and Teba looked at each other, and Teba laughed. Laughed! Weiss saw red. “What is so funny?” She asked.  
  
“That the chief trusts you. Just like him to believe to the first stranger that waltz into the village.” Teba said.  
  
“I do trust them.” Kaneli pointed out “Those ‘strangers’ helped our village before, Teba, did you forget?”  
  
“And what do you think we have been doing for the last few days, anyway?” Weiss asked.  
  
“I recognize you helped us. I don’t believe you will come back. Those are not mutually exclusive. You are a serious woman, Weiss Schnee, but I notice that your desire is to leave this place. To leave this whole country, in fact. I heard you talk with your red friend. So no, I don’t believe we will see you come back once you leave. I don’t fault you for missing your home, or for wanting to return to it, but don’t expect me to bet the safety of the village on a bunch of telltales from the chief and a promise from someone I barely know.” He looked at Kaneli “Chief, I can’t do it.”  
  
“Teba, you are a Rito I would trust with the lives of everyone in the village. Please, reconsider.”  
  
“I won’t.”  
  
“I am officially outlawing any attempt to fly to Vah Medoh.”  
  
“I’ll take the punishment.”  
  
“Even if it’s banishment?” The chief asked. Teba was shaken, for the first time since Weiss knew him.  
  
“You can’t be serious…” He half asked and half whispered “Banishment from Rito Village is a punishment only reserved for the most severe of crimes, like murder and betrayal.”  
  
“And wouldn’t you call it betrayal leading so many Rito to their death?” Kaneli asked. The elder owl had a different light in his eyes than what he had shown any time since Weiss had known him. He was serious.  
  
“I…” Teba stopped midsentence “What if I went alone? Would that be punished with banishment?”  
  
“If you did that, it would be the same as attempting suicide!” Weiss shouted “Can’t you at least wait a bit before diving to your death?! Why is it you can’t trust me?”  
  
“Because the last Rito warrior that trusted a woman like you was Revali, Ice Queen, and he died for it. Rito Village is everything to me. There is nothing more important, and I already failed it once. So don’t ask me to trust a vain hope. I will find a solution. And I will do it myself.”  
  
He stormed off, leaving Weiss and Kaneli alone.  
  
“Do you think he will be fine?” She asked.  
  
The owl Rito shook his head “I think he will do what he thinks is right, no matter what I tell him. The best I can do is ensure that he doesn’t drag too many people with him.” He sighed “I’m getting old, too old to rein in the next generation. But, I can give you time. Go recover the Slate, and come back to us. I’m sure you will find a way to help us all.”  
  
Weiss nodded “I will, Kaneli.”  
  
The old owl seemed to smile. For once, Weiss could tell by his eyes.  
  
-  
  
Pyrrha Nikos looked back at Rito Village as it disappeared in the distance. “Well, we have a map at least…” She said, trying to sound cheerful. She realized that her tone sounded more concerned than anything, but she _was_ concerned after all. They had supplies for a while, a bag containing four change of clothes made by the Rito themselves, and a map, but that was about it. According to the Rito, aside from the stables, there were no settlements on their way to the Plateau. Essentially, they were going to travel alone through an unknown and completely uninhabited land. Except for the Monsters and possibly the Grimm of course.  
  
“It was very kind of them.” Ren commented. Pyrrha looked at him, trying to understand if he was being sincere or just trying to act confidently. She couldn’t really tell. Ren in the last few days had seemed a bit distant with everyone, even with her. He was worried, of course, and she could tell for who in particular. Still, Ren had never complained about the situation, and Pyrrha did not wish to upset him. Especially because everyone in the group was worried about their friends.  
  
“Anyway, let’s see…” Weiss looked at the map “We are supposed to go back the way we came and continue south… pass a bridge over Tanagar Canyon… Follow the road around the Seres Scablands… South to Nima Plains and over Scabula Hill, cross the Regencia River, reach the Outskirt Stable, and from there we should reach the Plateau.”  
  
“Oh yeah, that sounds easy and quick.” Emerald replied in a sarcastic tone.  
  
The fairy said something, and Weiss gritted her teeth in annoyance before turning to them. “Melia estimates a two weeks journey, if we hurry and don’t run into any problem.”  
  
“That just invites problem.” Emerald sighed “Anything else?”  
  
“They wrote a few notes. Mostly normal advice. Watch out for the Yiga Clan, do not cross the Scablands directly, try to find horses… Nothing really useful.”  
  
“Having horses would be nice, yes.” Pyrrha said “I feel like it would give us a great advantage since it seems we will have to travel far and wide. I think we should make that a priority.”  
  
“True.” Weiss nodded in agreement.  
  
“Well, uhm…” Emerald started “I don’t know how to ride a horse though.”  
  
Pyrrha looked at her in surprise “Oh, I didn’t expect that. Well, I will gladly teach you. I took riding lessons back in Sanctum. It was an extra class.” _‘It also gave me something to do alone.’_ She thought with a bit of regret, thinking back at her time in her past combat school. She didn’t really have friends or anything, so she needed hobbies to fill her time: that was the price she paid for being put on a pedestal as the Invincible Girl. Frankly, she would have given it up gladly. “Anyone else doesn’t know how to ride a horse?”  
  
“I might use some refreshers.” Weiss admitted “Atlas is not exactly horse-friendly, so I couldn’t practice much.”  
  
“I can do it fine.” Ren calmly replied.  
  
“Good. Then the plan is set: while we travel, we will need to search some horses.”  
  
“Yes, I…” Weiss stopped as Melia had suddenly started to jump up and down. “Wait, Melia… No, don’t apologize, just… Oh, I see… Are you sure? Fine, I’ll ask them.” She turned to them “Melia says she just remembered the Great Fairy Fountain should also be on our way. She says that if we can just wake up the Great Fairy, she will help us in our journey.”  
  
“How, teleporting us there?” Emerald asked. Pyrrha wondered how well Emerald was doing too. The first day, they had found her crying alone, which didn’t really bode well. Since then though she hadn’t really noticed any similar event repeating again.  
  
Melia shook her head, then said something else. Weiss nodded “She only says the Great Fairy can help us. She is...” Weiss groaned “She is sorry that she can’t tell us more, but the Great Fairies have been asleep for a long time.”  
  
“Well, I’m sure we can help anyway.” Pyrrha said with an attempt at a large smile. Melia seemed to like it, judging by her bouncing. The Invincible Girl had to admit she looked really cute.  
  
“If it’s not too out of the way.” Emerald added. This got a decidedly less happy reaction from Melia, who started doing a movement that looked like a bow. Judging by Weiss expression, she was apologizing again. Despite everything, she could not help but find it funny.


	16. Ruby 2: Treasure

“We need to talk.” Ruby yelped hearing those words, turning from her position on top of the wooden watchtower near Lurelin Bay. The person that had suddenly spoken behind her was none other than Parda. The tall Gerudo woman bowed, as the young Huntress sighed.  
  
“Parda, can you stop doing that?” She asked, and she noticed Parda’s small smile. She wasn’t going to stop.  
  
“A warrior vai should always keep an eye to her back, even when she is guarding ahead. Otherwise, your enemies might sneak behind your back without you ever noticing.” The Gerudo woman replied.  
  
“I guess you are right. So, what did you want to talk about Parda?” Ruby asked.  
  
“I’m leaving, Ruby Rose.” She simply said.  
  
“Oh. Why?”  
  
“My quest to find a voe has to be put on hold for the sake of informing the Gerudo tribe of the threat of Grimm. I will travel back to my home in the Gerudo Desert. Hopefully, the knowledge you have given me will help them as well.”  
  
“I see. I’ll miss you.” Ruby said, nodding in understanding “In the past few days you have been nothing but helpful. Thank you for telling me so much about this world.”  
  
“It was my pleasure, young vai.” She smiled “Although, I did not _just_ wish to inform you about my departure. I also wanted to extend to you an invitation to travel with me.”  
  
Ruby looked at her in confusion “Oh… Why?”  
  
Parda looked at her “You are lost in this world and don’t have a hint of where you are supposed to go.”  
  
“Well when you put it like that…”  
  
“But there are certainly reasons to why you were brought here. You told me your story, Ruby Rose. And we both think Farore is the one that lead you to this land. The question is, why? I believe to find your answer you must leave this village and start searching. Of the three goddesses, Farore represents courage and the wind. I believe that if you choose to brave the world, to travel from place to place like a gale, you will find your answers.”  
  
Ruby pondered what Parda was saying. It was true she wasn’t doing much in Lurelin anyway. Since their fight with the Feilong, they had seen no trace of any Grimm activity. She had even given the villagers and the Gerudo detailed information on how to track them, but to no avail. It was clear that there were no Grimm anywhere around the town. So, if there was a possibility to find a way home, or at least answers, she was hesitant to give it up.  
  
Her eyes went to her boots. The symbol on her calf still bugged her. Why did Farore leave her mark on her? According to Flavi, that wasn’t usual for the goddesses. And she was very knowledgeable, so if something was unusual to her, it probably meant there was no record of it in the Gerudo history. _‘So what does it mean? And where am I supposed to go from here?’_  
  
She turned to Lurelin. The village was on high alert, with numerous inhabitants having taken up lances and old swords. She would have liked to stay and help as a Huntress, but on the other hand that would have just meant lock herself with no way home. Even the elders of the town had no information on a way home, she had already asked around.  
  
“I would love to.” She started, before shaking her head “But I can’t. Without me, the village would have no real defense. Well, aside from Flavi, but she alone might be in danger too, don’t you think?”  
  
Parda smiled “That is actually another reason for you to come. If we tell the Stables on the way, they might send people here. There are a lot of treasure hunters that know how to survive in the wild, they would be able to help. And once we make it to Gerudo Town, you can ask for support from the Chief herself.”  
  
“Couldn’t you do that yourself?”  
  
“I could, but with you I think it would be a lot more convincing. Your weapons and knowledge of the Grimm alone would help the matter, don’t you think?” Parda asked.  
  
Ruby thought about it for a moment. What the woman was saying made sense. She had more knowledge than anyone else in Hyrule on the Grimm threat, and helping while looking for a way to return to her friends and family was appealing. She finally nodded “Fine. But I first need to do a thing.” She said.  
  
“I’ll wait by the city entrance. Don’t take too long, please. We have a long way ahead, and I’d like to start our journey as soon as possible.”  
  
Ruby nodded, before bolting off. She quickly made her way around the village, until she finally found Regan. The young man was training with an older man, a tanned fisherman she recognized as Sebasto, swinging a sword that had belonged to his grandfather. Ruby was reminded of Jaune during his early days at Beacon. “Hello Ruby!” The man said as soon as he saw her, with a smile.  
  
“Hello Regan. How is your Aura?”  
  
“Amazing. I can’t believe weapons just bounce on me!” He said with a grin. Ruby nodded. The decision of awakening some Hylians’ Aura had been something she was happier about now than ever. It wouldn’t save them by itself, but it would help. Regan had been the first to volunteer, but three more people, Sebasto, Numar and Chumin, had agreed to it afterwards. Both Gerudo had surprisingly thanked her but refused, at least for the time being.  
  
“Remember, your Aura has a limit.” Ruby warned him again “You still need to try and block as many hits as possible, otherwise you’ll run out.”  
  
“I know, I know.” The aspiring treasure hunter replied with a smile “I’m training exactly for that.” He said, swinging his sword. Ruby nodded, though she did notice his stance was a bit overextended. That wasn’t too surprising, seeing most of the villagers had picked up arpoons as their weapon of choice, carrying the swords around only as a side weapon, and Ruby herself wasn’t much of a trainer when it came to swords. She had given him tips to fight with sword and shield, but she really wished Pyrrha or even Jaune were there.  
  
 _‘I wish uncle Qrow was here.’_ She found herself thinking. Her uncle used a sword-scythe combination called Harbinger, so he would have certainly been of help. “Good. But there is something else I need to talk to you about.”  
  
Regan looked at her, puzzled “What is it?”  
  
“I’m leaving with Parda for a while.”  
  
“What? But what do we do if one of those Grimm things shows up again without you?” He asked, suddenly afraid.  
  
“Don’t worry, Flavi will stay here, and you now have Aura. The five of you should be able to hold your own.” She replied. She wasn’t entirely sure about it, but there wasn’t much more she could do. She had to sound confident to make sure they would stay positive. Any negative emotion would make things worse.  
  
Regan sighed “I guess… Well, thank you for everything you have done for us.” He said, “You have been really kind.”  
  
“I did what every good Huntress would do, nothing more.” She answered, blushing slightly at the compliment.  
  
“The place you come from must be amazing then, if everyone is as kind as you are.” Regan continued “Well, good luck Ruby.”  
  
“Good luck to you too. But I wanted to ask another favor.”  
  
“Sure, what is it?”  
  
“Do you know where chief Rozel is?” She asked.  
  
Regan raised an eyebrow “Well, I think he said he was going to the beach with Numar.”  
  
“Which beach?” Ruby asked, surprised.  
  
“Korne. He said something about a weapon that could help us in those dire times.” Regan replied “And of course Numar was ready to help.”  
  
Ruby nodded, speeding off “Thank you Regan. Stay safe!”  
  
“You too Ruby!” He replied, shouting as he watched her rapidly disappear in a flush of petals “After all, you are the one that’s going to travel through the wild!”  
  
-  
  
Ruby made her way south from Lurelin, following the shore until he reached Korne Beach. The area was a sandy shore inhabited by only crabs and seagulls, surrounded by palm trees. After a search of the area, she finally found the two man, working intently on a raft. Numar was doing most of the work, his dark skin shining from the sweat as he rowed, probably to test the ship. On the shore, Rozel was nodding approvingly, his white hair contrasting with his tanned skin.  
  
“Hello, young one.” He said with a smile toward Ruby when he saw her.  
  
“Hello, chief.”  
  
“I told you to call me Rozel before.”  
  
“But Numar said it’s inappropriate.” Ruby said.  
  
“It is. But I know the old man will not listen to me!” The man shouted from the boat.  
  
“Ah, don’t listen to him, I’m not some grumpy elderly that needs a title to feel better, I’m a fisherman that was lucky enough to get old. So, what are you doing here?”  
  
“Well, I wanted to talk about the defense of Lurelin while I’m gone. Did you think about what I suggested? You know, the whole thing about building a palisade to protect yourself.”  
  
“I didn’t know you were leaving, but that suggestion of yours is actually why we are here.” The man replied, before chuckling “Well, that and I want to see if the old tale is actually true.”  
  
“Old tale?”  
  
“They say a long time ago a ship crashed around here. Overtime, the ship itself was either broken apart by the winds and sea and scavenged, but they say part of the cargo sunk near here. The story goes there was a sizable amount of precious stones in it, including a sword that shined like thunder.” He chuckled again “If that is true, we would at least have the money to pay the people that will collect the wood and build the palisade, and a good sword on top.”  
  
“That’s actually amazing.” Ruby said, her eyes lit by the idea of a sunken treasure like the ones she had read about in her books. Sure, those were usually a pirate chest, but still… “Can I help?”  
  
“Sure. Those old bones of mine aren’t made to sail anymore. Why don’t you go with Numar instead of me?”  
  
Ruby nodded, and jumped on the raft in a burst of petal. Numar laughed “Well, at least the both of us will find the treasure more easily.” He said, starting to row. Soon enough, they were out of reach of the coast. That was when the man sighed “I do hope we find something.”  
  
“I’m sure Ro… the Elder is right. A story always has some basis of truth.”  
  
“Oh, I believe him when he says that a ship sunk around here. I just wonder if the treasure is still out there after all this time.”  
  
“Only one way to find out, right?” She asked, before suddenly hitting her face with a head “Damn, I got excited about the treasure and forgot I promised Parda I was going to make it fast.”  
  
Numar laughed again, this time harder “She is gonna have your head for it, you know that right?”  
  
“Not if we find the treasure fast.” Ruby replied “So, do we know where that’s supposed to be?”  
  
“Around here, under us.” He said, pointing at the shining sea and at the sand and rocks below “Let’s hope that it’s not completely covered in sand. Let’s start looking.”  
  
Ruby nodded, and the two of them started to stare overboard to the sea floor. Ruby watched fishes pass under them quickly, disappearing and reappearing as they moved under the coral and rock formations. Between those there were large spaces of sand and algae, where crabs, starfishes and seashells littered the sea, some moving, some immobile.  
  
“This reminds me of my home.” Ruby said “Well, a bit at least. We didn’t have palm trees, but Patch was an island, and we did have a beautiful sea.”  
  
“What about the Grimm?”  
  
“Well sometimes big things would come from the sea, but Vale’s defenses and Huntsmen like Uncle Qrow would usually take care of them.” She replied.  
  
“That’s good.” He said, before returning to his silent search. After a while, he spoke again “Do you think we can do it? Fight the Grimm by ourselves, I mean.”  
  
“Of course! You fight monsters already. The Grimm won’t be a big change for you.” She confidently said. Well, she hoped it sounded confident enough. In truth, from what she had seen, most monsters weren’t as dangerous as the bigger Grimm, the ones that would certainly come eventually to attack a large settlement like Lurelin. She just hoped that by then enough people would be competent fighters to take them down. She almost shivered thinking of what would have happened if the Sea Feilong had attacked Lurelin without her and the Gerudo around.  
  
“I hope you are right.” Numar replied “Thank you for the Aura, by the way. It’s amazing.”  
  
“And wait until you unlock your Semblance. That’s when…” She stopped. Suddenly, a gust of wind moved the raft’s sail, along with a cloud that was covering the sun. In the sudden change of light, she noticed a glint from the seafloor, like something was reflecting the sunlight. She looked more closely and saw more, before gasping “The treasure!” She shouted.  
  
“Wait what?” Numar asked, walking to her side and looking at where she was pointing excitedly. His eyes went wide as he saw four large chests made of some metal, reflecting the sun above them from their half-buried position. “Nayru’s love, I can’t believe we actually found them…”  
  
“So, how do we…” Ruby began to ask, before Numar jumped in the water without a hint of hesitation. She looked as the man pulled the first chest out of the sand and slowly dragged it towards the raft, swimming with only his feet and yet managing to carry it with little effort. He quickly handed it to her and she grabbed it. She had to pull with all her strength to not let it fall when she realized how heavy it actually was, since Numar had made it look so easy.  
  
The scene repeated three more times, before Numar finally sat next to her, panting “Well, that was a good exercise.”  
  
“How did you do that?! Those things are super heavy!”  
  
“Well, your Aura thing helped, but it’s not the first time I’ve recovered stuff underwater.”  
  
“Ah, looks like you’ll be a strong one like Yang. Though probably not _as_ strong as my sister.” Ruby said with a chuckle.  
  
“Oh, really? I’ll take that as a challenge.” The man replied with a grin, starting to row to take the boat back home, while glancing from time to time to the chests “I still can’t believe it…”  
  
“Wanna see what’s inside?” Ruby asked.  
  
“If you can open them…”  
  
Ruby nodded and looked at the chests. There was surprisingly little wrong with them. No corals, no rust, nothing ruining the metal they were made of, except for a few scratches and dents. However, she just had to lightly pull up the lid to fully open it, like it was waiting for it. “Woah!” She said, startled, before looking inside as her eyes went wide. The Sapphire inside was as large as her head. “Wow, this is amazing!” She said.  
  
The man nodded, his eyes fixated on the treasure. Ruby ignored him, looking at the second chest and opening it to reveal an equally large Topaz, and the third chest revealed another Topaz of even bigger size. “Those are all amazing…” Ruby said, “With this I’m sure Lurelin will have a nice, strong wall.”  
  
“Yeah but… you know, a single one would be enough for that,” Numar commented. “Meanwhile, we could make more money with the rest, to make the village even stronger and cover some debts of mine.”  
  
Ruby glanced at him “What do you mean?” She asked after a moment, suddenly worried.  
  
“Well, there is a chest game in the city, where you can make ten times what you bet, or even more. If I… _we_ brought one of those over there…”  
  
“No.” Ruby bluntly said “We are taking this straight to the chief. He will know what to do with them.”  
  
Numar looked at her with surprise for a moment, and Ruby almost reflexively brought her hand to her back, where Crescent Rose was resting, before stopping herself. However, a second later, the man started laughing “Ah, I’m sorry. You are right of course. That was wrong of me. You are right, the chief knows best. I just thought it seemed a good idea.”  
  
Ruby sighed in relief, smiling “Don’t worry.” She replied. “Oh, we are here.” She said, pointing at the coast, where Rozel was sitting. She waved at him and raised one of the Topazes. The elder’s smile was visible from where Ruby was. She noticed the relief on his face.  
  
As they landed on the coast, she looked at the last chest, while Numar calmly picked up the other gems and showed them to the chief, who nodded happily. She opened it and almost squealed in joy. Well, she was pretty sure it was just ‘almost’. Maybe just a very small actual squeal.  
  
“Oh, a Thunderblade. So that is the great weapon.” Rozel commented when he saw the blade inside the chest. “Those were only made by the blacksmiths of the Hyrule Hills, who are now likely all gone. At least, I never heard of anyone still making those.”  
  
“It’s so beautiful…” Ruby whispered as she examined the greatsword. The Weapon was almost as tall as she was, with the blade actually divided in two for almost the entire length. She could see the electricity ripple through it, and when she took a swing to try it it crackled before waning. After a few moments, the weapon lit once more.  
  
“Yes, if you swing this, it will produce a bolt of true lightning, although then it will take some moments to recharge for another attack. One hit could probably stun a full-grown bull.”  
  
“Or kill a normal Grimm.” Ruby muttered “This is fantastic! I was worried about the village, but now you have a weapon that can protect you. Make sure to give it to your strongest fighter though.”  
  
“That’s what I am going to do.” He said with a smile “Numar, it’s yours.” He said. The man happily grabbed the blade Ruby handed him and swung it around.  
  
“Well, I don’t mind using it.” The man said, swinging it once more to test it and smiling.  
  
“Excellent.” The old man said “Well, now I feel safer. Now, let’s bring this back to the village.”  
  
“Yes, we should do that,” Numar said with a smile, as Ruby picked up the stones. “But I certainly won’t.” Then she felt a discharge of electricity hit her in the back and an impact with the ground.  
  
-  
  
“Ruby Rose, wake up.” A familiar voice said gently.  
  
Ruby slowly opened her eyes, looking up at the familiar woman standing over her. She blinked twice, realizing suddenly it was sunset, judging by the light. And that the person was Parda, a worried expression on her face.  
  
“Parda? What…”  
  
“You were hit from behind.” She said, a disgusted tone in her voice “Who did this? Who was such a coward?”  
  
“Wait… I was hit and… Rozel! Is he…”  
  
“He is fine. Well, unconscious, but fine.” Parda said “The culprit only knocked both of you out, thankfully. I got suspicious when I didn’t see you return and started looking for you. I asked around and finally got the information from Regan. If I ever find the voe that did this…” Parda started, then shook her head, before looking at Rozel “I’ll carry the elder back to the village. I suppose we are leaving tomorrow at this point.”  
  
“No! I’m sorry Parda, but I need to find Numar and…”  
  
“So it was Numar, uh? Well, he is already gone.” The Gerudo simply replied, a look of disgust clear in her eyes “He took a raft, judging by the footprints that lead to the sea, and unless you have a way to track him on the waves, you will only waste your time. Trust me, I wanted nothing more than to give him a lesson.”  
  
Ruby sighed “I can’t believe he did it. But why? He knew how important this was for the village!”  
  
Parda shook her head “Some people are selfless, like you, and some are selfish, like him. He saw the option to change his life and took it. At least he had the decency of feeling some remorse.” She said.  
  
“What do you mean?” Ruby asked, and the Gerudo pointed at the Sapphire in the sand.  
  
“He left that behind. He clearly did it on purpose, so I guess there is some hope even for a thief.” She said, “I still want to throw him to a Molduga.”  
  
Ruby shook her head. She had only known Numar for a few days, but why would he do something like that. What made him think it was a good idea? She could only wonder what goes through the mind of someone that did stuff like that. Then she suddenly gasped “Did he take the sword?”  
  
“The sword? What sword?”  
  
“He took it! It was supposed to be used to defend the village, and he took it! How could he?!”  
  
“What happened? What sword?”  
  
“We found a Thunderblade in one of those chests. It was one of the reasons chief Rozel and him came all the way out here.” Ruby said.  
  
“Then I guess he took it, yes. With that blade and those gems, he will probably make a living for himself as a treasure hunter. Or a bandit.” Parda grimaced “If we ever run into him, I will make sure he regrets this.”  
  
Ruby stood back up, looking at the sea and feeling guilt. There was a criminal out there now. And she had awakened his Aura and helped him find a magic sword. She sighed again. _‘I will fix this.’_ She thought _‘I only need to figure out how.’_


	17. Beacon 3: Bomb

Jaune Arc was laying in his bed, awake. This would have been normal maybe, if it wasn’t for the fact that it was three in the morning. He turned around to stare at the beds where his teammates should have slept. Nora was there of course, but the other two were empty. Had been since the day the Vytal Festival had started, in fact. _‘Where are you guys?’_ He wondered. He was worried. Pyrrha and Ren were strong and capable, but watching them vanish had been terrifying. Team RWBY was gone too, disappeared probably in the same light bolt that had taken them. Emerald…  
  
That video still haunted him. She had fought desperately and still had been absorbed by the dark goo and the red eye. What did that mean? Was that because someone else had taken her? Or was it just a different mean for taking people used by the same individual? _‘Is this somehow connected to everything else, or is it just a coincidence? What is happening?!’_  
  
He was angry and tired. This tournament was supposed to be fun, something to set their mind at ease after all the stuff that had happened during the school year. The Breach, for one. And yet here he was, as useless as he had been at the initiation.  
  
 _‘Ren… Pyrrha… Are you ok? Is RWBY with you? What about Emerald?’_ He asked mentally.  
  
Maybe it was the weight of those questions that finally made him fall asleep. But all he gained were nightmares.  
  
-  
  
Nora was the first to wake up, as usual. She mechanically turned toward the boys’ beds, Ren’s bed, only to remember he wasn’t going to be there. She felt tears swell in her eyes. She wasn’t used to this. She wasn’t used to Ren not being there, ready to be woken up by her cheer. They had been together since… since they were kids. Not having him around was _wrong_.  
  
She turned to the other side. The bed closest to hers was Pyrrha’s, but of course it was empty as well. She didn’t know what she was expecting. Maybe that at least one of the two would be back.  
  
She stood up and slapped her cheeks, the resulting impact strong enough to wake up anyone. Except Jaune apparently. That would have been surprising before, but Nora knew her team leader was not sleeping enough. Back before… everything, the blonde teen was always the first to fall asleep after a day of training, but now she would often go down before him.  
  
 _‘Cheer up Nora, you are supposed to support your new team… friend.’_ She thought. Mercury and her had organized a one on one sparring match to decide who was going to move forward to the one v one, and the winner had been Mercury. She was a bit grumpy about it, but Black had won fair and square, so he deserved the spot.  
  
She considered waking up Jaune, then she shook her head. Mercury didn’t really care if his teammates were there to watch him or not, and Jaune really needed to rest. She would go for all of team JNPR.  
  
With that decision out of the way, she started walking out of the room. She made her way through the still calm corridors of the morning, and as she walked outside she ended up bumping against someone.  
  
“Oh, sorry Velvet.” She said. The rabbit faunus with brown hair turned her way, and Nora noticed something odd about her. She seemed sad, but not in a ‘someone has made fun of my ears’ way. More like in a ‘something terrible happened’ way. Nora could tell the difference at a glance. She had been out of the Kingdom long enough to know what someone terrified looked like. “Are you ok?”  
  
“I… Yes, sorry Nora. I was thinking of something else and didn’t see you.”  
  
“Are you sure? You look terrible.” The redhead said. Velvet had large bags under her eyes and seemed very jumpy, a lot more than usual. People like Cardin would have probably chalked it up to her being a rabbit faunus, but Nora knew better.  
  
“Yes, I’m sure. Now sorry Lyn, but…” Velvet froze.  
  
 _‘Something is wrong.’_ Nora decided then and there. Velvet had an excellent memory. It wasn’t like her to use a wrong name “Who’s Lyn? Some new friend from another Kingdom?”  
  
“No, I… I actually don’t know anyone with that name. I must have just… I don’t know, heard it somewhere.” Velvet replied with a shaky smile “Sorry Nora, but I have to go now.”  
  
“You going to the arena? I heard Coco is going to move up to the one v one.”  
  
“Oh, no, I’m going to see Professor Ozpin.” She said “In fact, I should go quickly. Sorry to keep you. May the best team win.” Nora looked at her basically run away and wondered if she was supposed to say something to that, but before she could the rabbit faunus was gone completely. _‘I need to ask Coco if something happened, that’s not Velvet’s usual behavior.’_  
  
She walked forward, making her way to the transports for the Arena.  
  
-  
  
Jaune looked around the room, trying to understand what was going on. The sky outside was dark and he could see… smoke, fire… Grimm. He took a step back as the shadow of an Ursa engulfed the room, before barreling through the window. Reflexively, the teenager brought a hand to his flank, only to realize that Crocea Mors was not there.  
  
He ran, closing the door behind and sprinting out in the corridor, the shadow of the Ursa following him.  
  
He passed crumbled walls, turned a corner, and gasped. Sky Lark was laying on the ground, his neck bent unnaturally. Jaune held back his vomit as the thundering sound of the Ursa’s step resounded behind him, and kept going.  
  
More bodies on the way out. He recognized some, like Dove, but others were unknown, nameless bodies of students like him, some still in Beacon’s uniform, some in their combat gear. Others were from other schools, and he recognized a girl from Vacuo he had seen on television. He kept running.  
  
He found the way to the airships field blocked. Not just by more Grimm, fighting more and more desperate Huntsmen-in-training, but also by Grimm wearing the White Fang uniform and Atlasian robots with Grimm claws and the symbol of a black queen of chess embedded on their chest. And something else, a creature he could not describe, something that was not a Grimm but far, far worse.  
  
Instinctively, he ran to the CCT Tower, the Ursa still behind. He didn’t know what was guiding him. Maybe he was looking for Ozpin, for someone that would know what to do in all this mess.  
  
Maybe he was hoping Nora would be there, hoping she at least would be safe.  
  
He rushed in, and suddenly he was in Professor Ozpin’s office, high at the top of the tower. At his side, he suddenly found the sheath of Crocea Mors, although the sword itself was still nowhere to be found.  
  
 _‘Your future is bleak. The night is dark, and dawn is far.’_ He suddenly heard _‘I have seen many before come for my aid. Will you be the next, Jaune Arc?’  
  
‘You know where you can find me. Will you do it when the time is right?’_  
  
And Jaune woke up.  
  
-  
  
Nora Valkyrie looked at the Arena. For the last hour or so, Amity had filled more and more, until even the student-only seats seemed about to burst. It made sense though. The last fighters left were going to go at it, and the winner would be chosen on that day or the next. She was more than ready to cheer for Mercury, even if her position on the Vale side was going to make it a bit weird.  
  
She tried to look around for Jaune while munching on some pop corn – well, her second bowl, but who was counting? – but couldn’t see him anywhere. _‘Are you really going to miss the finale, Jaune?’_ She wondered.  
  
As time passed and the arena reached its fullest, Nora started to get bored. Unsurprisingly, not having anyone to talk to could get boring. So, seeing Yatsuhashi and Fox walk by made her smile as she waved to catch their attention.  
  
“Hey guys!”  
  
“Oh, Nora, you ok?” Yatsu asked with a frown that was unusual for him.  
  
“Yup, everything is fine.” Nora sighed “Just, Jaune is feeling a bit… under the weather.”  
  
The redhead shook her head. They hadn’t told about Team RWBY and half of JNPR to CVFY before. Their plan to do so had been cut by the sudden discovery that apparently a flash of light was taking her friends away, rather than any enemy or a sudden mission. This felt wrong, but Professor Ozpin had been clear. No one was to know until they knew what was going on. Officially, Pyrrha, Ren and Team RWBY were on a sudden mission.  
  
“That’s sad to hear.” The large Mistralian replied “If we can help in any way, just tell us and…”  
  
“And we are here for the first match of the day.” Professor Oobleck’s voice resounded in the arena, everyone turning their attention towards the field. “For this first match, we are going to se…”  
  
Then a crash and screaming. An explosion tore through the seats of Haven’s students, as the camera for some sick reason panned over them, showing the horror of people wounded and dead.  
  
“Wh… What…” Nora started, looking to her side. Both Yatsuhashi and Fox were equally speechless, as the rest of the Arena started to scream like madman once the shock was switched to panic.  
  
Then the screens changed. A new voice, one that Nora could vaguely recognize but not quite place. Someone she had met before, but when…  
  
“I was late.” The voice said. “I wished this to be a warning, but it appears I failed.”  
  
The screens changed again, now showing what appeared to be camera footage. White Fang members moving through the emergency routes of the Arena, slowly carrying crates of something. Then, next to them, walked Atlesian soldiers, and closing the line, someone Nora recognized.  
  
Neon Katt, her rollerblade slowly moving her through the corridor.  
  
“Look. Atlas is behind it. They orchestrated the Breach to force the hand of the Vale council, to force them into agreeing to their covert takeover, and when Mistral decided to show _their_ support to Vale, starting from suggesting a mixed team, they chose to send a message. Oh, I’m sure they would have come up with such a wonderful suggestion to ‘improve security’ and ‘protect Mistral’.”  
  
The video changed again, this time showing various fights, each highlighting where each opponent was from. "Not that Vale is any better. First, Ozpin fails at his job of protecting the Kingdom, then his only response to the Atlesian takeover is pitting his students consistently against Atlas students. What a... lucky coincidence. Unless of course he wanted to win in an attempt to intimidate Atlas."  
  
The screen switched to a mugshot of Roman Torchwick and various White Fang members captured in the Breach. “And have you wondered why the White Fang agreed to serve a human in the Breach? Maybe, because Atlas made them promises. Under Sienna Khan, who can expect the Fang to pull back from an agreement like this? Atlas will give Faunus more rights and protections. Meanwhile, this accursed Kingdom extends its influence to Menagerie." Another change of picture, this time showing a group of Specialists, the frame focusing on a young Faunus "And it all starts with granting a single Faunus a place in the pretty little Ace Ops, the poster boys of Atlas’ regime. And of course, with allowing in their Academy someone like Neon Katt, a White Fang member herself.”  
  
The screen switched again, this time to a flush of messages on various social networks and message boards “This is a war Remnant. And everyone has already taken a side.”  
  
“The Atlesians are not afraid to bloody their hands.”  
  
The voice stopped.  
  
The screen went white.  
  
And the crowd started to scream.  
  
-  
  
“Well, that was acceptable.” Cinder Fall decided, folding back her scroll “Now, we need to see if the animals and the monsters can do what I told them to.”  
  
Mercury zoomed around the city streets. People were already running out in a daze, heading to the closest shelters, when the alarms started to sound. Even simple civilians knew what was coming. What they couldn't tell was coming was the White Fang members emerging from various vans and shooting at them. Killing some, but leaving most wounded, the ideal way to attract even more Grimm.  
  
“I hate second rate planning.” Cinder added “My original work was so much more well-crafted than an attack like this. Sure, Beacon will fall, but having the core of the fight take place during the day will be so much less interesting to watch.”  
  
“I mean, you are the one with the trigger, and Neo took out the girl in advance. You could have waited a little longer.”  
  
“Unfortunately, the timing was crucial. General Ironwood right now is far from his men, with me in control of his Scroll. I can’t know how long that is going to be the case. Moreover, Atlesian security up in Amity is good. Otherwise, my plan wouldn’t have needed to be so complicated.”  
  
“Speaking of which, I’d say it’s about time,” Mercury said, his camera panning toward the Arena, making sure to not film the Atlesian ship heading towards the larger ones hovering over Vale.  
  
“Indeed. Farewell, Amity.” Cinder clicked a button.  
  
The explosion at the base of Amity was clearly visible from their position. And so was the Arena suddenly tilting.  
  
-  
  
“They have played us!” Ironwood shouted, looking at the screen in Ozpin’s office.  
  
Ozpin did not respond, just staring at it. This was bad. In the last century, no, the last few centuries, Salem had never been quite this bold. If Amity came crashing down on Vale, on top of slaughtering uncountable civilians, it was also going to make the panic even worse.  
  
“Tell me honestly. Is there any way for your men to make sure Amity doesn’t fall?”  
  
“Maybe. I didn’t bring the full team, but the two Ace-Ops we have are experienced enough. If they can get to the core and resettle it, and if the Gravity Dust wasn’t lost… And if the enemy didn’t crash completely the controls… Brothers, this is a disaster.”  
  
“A disaster doesn’t even start to describe it.” Ozpin shot a glare at Qrow, but the Huntsman just ignored him. For once, it seemed he wasn’t going to care about the Beacon Headmaster’s opinion on his tongue “The city is terrified. Salem’s little pawn slaughtered on live television the Mistralians with a bomb, and blamed it all on the White Fang and the Atlas military, if you two didn’t notice. The same Atlas military that hovers on the city, because someone here had to bring his work with himself on vacation, and the same White Fang that right now is probably already causing more damage in the streets.”  
  
“Qrow, I would never…”  
  
“I know you wouldn’t, Jimmy, but I’m not Vale, and if everyone in the Kingdom panics, then it’s only a matter of time before the Grimm...” He stopped as a new screen appeared, this one showing a large horde of Grimm marching towards Vale from Mountain Glenn and the surrounding regions. Ozpin stared at the Goliath crashing through the defences of the city like they were made of paper. “Do that. Fuck.” Qrow concluded.  
  
“Qrow, Glynda, go to the city. James, you brought your army. Use it.”  
  
Qrow and Glynda of course opened their mouth to object, but before they could talk, it was a fourth voice that spoke up “What am I supposed to do, Headmaster?” The voice of Velvet Scarlatina came out like a whisper, but everyone in the room heard it loud and clear.  
  
“Miss Scarlatina, it was my wish for you to get some time to acclimate yourself to your… change. I believe right now you should stay hidden here.”  
  
“But Professor, the city is under attack! My friends are out there and I don’t even know if they are dead or alive! I should go help!”  
  
“No you shouldn’t.” Qrow replied “You are half of the Fall Maiden now, but you haven’t trained a day with those fancy powers of yours. They are going to come straight for you. Oz didn’t stash you away, but you aren’t exactly someone we can allow to roam free. We did explain you who we are up against. Just do what Oz says, and you might get out of this alive.” Before the young girl or anyone else could respond, he rushed out of the room, followed by Glynda. James was still talking on his Scroll, and after a last glance at Ozpin and the young Faunus ran out of the room as well. Ozpin wondered why, but he realized once he had been set off it was hardly possible for James to stop thanks to his Semblance. Whatever he was doing, at least it was going to help.  
  
Ozpin looked at Velvet recoil at the thought of Salem. Telling the half-Maiden about _her_ had been a unanimous decision once she had agreed to take the power of the Fall Maiden. It had been a rather painful conversation, despite only revealing what he usually told his inner circle. If Miss Scarlatina… no, Velvet, he had to give her an equal treatment now… If she had decided to not take the power after that, he was still ready to give her a way out. Maybe just keep a close eye on her and her team, enlist them once they were Huntsmen like he had done with STRQ. He had however been relieved when they young woman had decided to agree to the transfer anyway.  
  
“Velvet.” He said, and there was surprise painted on the Faunus’ face “I want you to understand this. We can wait a little, but then I need you to make a choice. You have to leave, with or without your companions.”  
  
“But… But I can’t do that! I can’t just abandon them!”  
  
Ozpin looked at her for a long moment. He could have forced her to leave. It would have been easy for him. However, that would have also been wrong. And as much as Ozma was ready to admit that, even before being Ozpin, he had made too many mistakes to count, Ozpin wasn’t ready to commit another one. “I’ll try to get them here.” He said, taking the Scroll.  
  
-  
  
“What do you mean ‘find me team CFVY’ Oz?!” Taiyang shouted “It’s madness up here!”  
  
Tai looked at the crowd rushing to the exits of the Arena, and clenched his teeth as he helped a Mistral student with a broken leg. He had been on Amity just to try and get himself to calm down after everything that had been going on with his daughters, and of course that was when this was going to happen.  
  
“Please Taiyang, it’s important. You know I wouldn’t ask otherwise.”  
  
Tai narrowed his eyes “I don’t work for you anymore, you know that, right?” As he said that two other men in medical clothes walked towards him, and he quickly handed them the boy, before sighing “Fine, I’ll look for them. It’s the girl with the minigun, the bunny faunus, the kid with the giant sword and the blind one with the Tonfa, right? I remember their fight in the first round.”  
  
“Miss Scarlatina, the Faunus, is already here.” Ozpin added, and Tai stopped.  
  
“Good, one less. I’ll go check the Vale side of the Arena, and…” He looked up, seeing the giant Nevermore pecking at the roof of the Arena, the hard light shields starting to crack. “Ah shit. Seems like I’ll have to be fast.”  
  
“I’m counting on you.” Ozpin’s voice concluded, before cutting off.  
  
“Fantastic.” The blonde man took a deep breath “I really didn’t miss working for him.”  
  
-  
  
Nora looked down at the ground dangerously closing in. The fall was slow, but it didn’t matter: Amity at this rate was going to crash on Vale long before they were done with evacuating it, let alone the portion of the city below.  
  
“How does it look?” Neptune asked while helping Sage on the ship. He was the only member of team SSSN involved in the explosion thankfully, and only with a slight concussion. His Aura was already taking effect, and the teen gently pushed away his companion.  
  
“Bad.” Nora replied, “We are going to crash long before we are done up here.”  
  
“Damn it!” Sun shouted. “Hey, Arslan, how is everyone on team ABRN? Did they make it out?”  
  
“We are all fine.” The dark-skinned girl replied with a serious expression “We were grabbing some food when…” She shuddered “There must be something we can do.”  
  
“Like what?” A new voice asked from behind them. They turned to see Cardin Winchester, mace in hand. They could see his Dust crystal had long depleted, probably the result of fighting some of the Grimm that had been attacking the roof. Nora could understand, since she was running low on grenades as well. “The situation is shit. There is nothing any of us can do. We should just run.”  
  
“Why haven’t you done that, if you are so scared?” Arslan asked back with a dangerous scowl that made even Nora take a step back “If you are going to be useless, just run away.”  
  
“You might not believe it, but I _want_ to be a Huntsman. Which means, covering the sorry ass of those people back there is my job.” Nora saw him glance at Sun’s tail, before he decided to add another line. “Even if I don’t like them.”  
  
“Kind of a dick, aren’t you?” Sun asked back.  
  
Cardin just ignored him, continuing his tirade “Anyway, the Atlesians and Vacuans already bolted. That’s why I don’t understand _why_ we are still here.”  
  
“What?” Nora looked at him in confusion. “How did they run away? There are barely any ships.”  
  
“On this side, sure.” Cardin grinned “I don’t know who that woman was, but she seems to have a point. The Vacuans and Atlesians got all the ships they needed to take them away.”  
  
“But that’s… Why?!” Arslan asked.  
  
“It’s because we are tilting the wrong way.” They turned, and saw Professor Oobleck firing shots at the closest flying Grimm with his weapon, the fire grimly litting his face. “This isn’t some dangerous, traitorous scheme, mister Winchester. It is merely practicality. Amity is tilting towards Vale, and this side happens to be the most dangerous one to land on for a ship.”  
  
“Then why did we have to even get here? Shouldn’t we have just evacuated everyone towards the Atlesian and Vacuan side?” Nora asked, starting to get confused.  
  
Oobleck shook his head “That would have been very much preferable. But tell me Miss Valkyrie, what do you think would happen right now if we put the Mistralian survivors and the Valeian citizens together with the Atlesians? How many people actually believed that stupid story on Atlas and the White Fang working together for some world takeover? There would have certainly been a spark of violence. That would have started a riot, and that riot would have…” He interrupted himself to fire again at a Griffon, who fell down from the sky in a fuming globe of fire just in time to allow the passage of another ship. “Caused more losses, either directly or from attracting the Grimm that right now are instead spread all around the Arena and the city.” He concluded, without taking his glasses off the sky.  
  
“Is there nothing we can do?” Nora asked, almost in a plight “There has to be something Professor, please!”  
  
“Well, if you could do me a favor, I’d like to have my students survive me. So, could you walk on that ship and go to Beacon?”  
  
Everyone looked at him stunned “But, Professor…”  
  
“I’m asking you, miss Valkyrie, to move your fight, not to stop.” He said “If Amity falls, it’s going to take us all with it. The less people stay here, the better. The wounded have already been carried away, and there isn’t time nor reason to carry the dead. So, now that you have done the best you could do, and admirably so, I suggest you jump on the first airship and get out of here. Vale will need as many living Huntsmen as possible, and I fear you children might find yourself to take the mantle before we planned to.”  
  
Nora blinked, not knowing what to say before she looked up at the sky. “Uh, professor. Is that normal?” She asked. Oobleck looked up, watching two of the Atlesian warships move slowly to face the third one.  
  
“No, that’s…”  
  
Then they fired.  
  
-  
  
“Ahahah! Nice shot bull!” The annoying voice of Roman Torchwick over the phone made Adam Taurus scowl as he looked at the falling Atlesian frigate. He gritted his teeth, unable to decide who he hated the most out of the whole operation. Torchwick was an asshole who had been insulting him and his men for months. But Cinder… Oh, he despised Cinder. The lie about working with Atlas alone made him just want to snap her neck and…  
  
 _‘Patience, Taurus.’_ He commanded himself _‘Let the woman thinks she is in control. Once she feels safe, chopping off her hand is going to be even more enjoyable.’_  
  
Adam wasn’t an idiot. The Atlesian Warship they had just stolen and its cargo were going to be incredible assets for the White Fang in their war against humanity. Cinder’s offer was the only reason he had agreed to her change of plans. Still, the lie could work in his favor. He would just twist the truth and certainly Sienna would to agree with him. And if she wasn’t… His coup had been prepared for a while, and there was nothing she could do to prevent it.  
  
Adam observed Beacon. Originally, he had decided to take care of the school himself, with the full intention to find Blake and punish her. However, with her gone – an information Cinder had given him with enough proof to believe her – he had moved to a better prize.  
  
“Sir, the Schnee girl ship and a few others are moving towards us.” One of his men called. He looked at the faunus with a lizard tail and nodded, his hand grasping Wilt in anticipation.  
  
“Shoot down the surrounding ships, but don’t touch the Schnee one. If she really lands here… Well, it’s about time we start taking care of the Schnee family.”  
  
The men cheered. Truly, Adam considered Winter Schnee the least interesting of all the Schnee. Not for the fight itself, a battle he was going to win, but because she had abandoned the family. Still, a trophy was a trophy. The head of Winter Schnee would gain him fame among the White Fang and ensure more people were going to agree with his takeover.  
  
All he had to do was kill one girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, last chapter of 2020 is the last chapter I had ready of the White Rupee. I will try to get the next chapter out on all three sites at once soon, but unfortunately my original plans to start the Fall Trilogy by now were kind of defeated so... see you in 2021, hopefully soon. Really sorry for the long wait everyone.


	18. Fall 1: Embers

Taiyang punched, and the head of the Ursa cracked, along with the neck of the Grimm. The creature slumped to the ground, broken and quickly dissolving. The man took a deep breath. Not having his weapon was a damn shame, but he could still do something, so long as the Grimm wasn’t too big. _‘Note too self, never go out without it.’_ He thought, before looking around. The wounded had already been carried out, and now they were moving to the civilians. He looked down. The ground was growing dangerously close, Amity not more than a kilometer in the air at this point. _‘I have to find those kids and book it.’_  
  
If he could help in any way, he gladly would have of course. And if he had his weapon, he would have probably fought to protect the civilians. But as he was, he _was_ a civilian. Without the means to recover his armaments, he could only rely on his fists, and as much as he believed he could count on them, Grimm weren’t exactly pushovers. Otherwise, humanity wouldn’t have been backed in a corner for the entirety of history.  
  
Looking at the stream of fugitives, he finally noticed the man he was searching for. Busy shooting at the Grimm with his beloved weapon, Peter didn’t notice until Tai put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
“Ah, Tai. Good to see you. Do you need something?”  
  
“Pete, I need help. Did Team CFVY leave for Beacon yet?”  
  
The man tapped his chin a moment, thinking. “Mmmh, I do not believe I noticed miss Adel and her companions here, and all Valean students should be on this side of the Arena.” Port smiled “Why, let’s solve this.” He took a deep breath and immediately followed with a bellow. “As anyone seen team CFVY?! Anyone?!” He shouted at full volume.  
  
“I saw them!” A voice said. They looked that way to to see a student, his armor stained by the blood of the Grimm. “They were going back into the Arena. Said something about being able to help.”  
  
“What?!” He made his way through the crowd, reaching the kid. “What way? Where?”  
  
“I-I don’t know, down I think, they took one of the doors for the staff. Just down that corridor, to the left.”  
  
“Shit.” Tai cursed “Thanks kid.” He turned around, making his way back to Port. “I’m going to go search for those three and see what they are doing. Keep up the good work.”  
  
“You know I will.” Port said, just as Amity shook. The tilting became more evident and a few people had to grasp the tiles on the ground to hold themselves steady. There were screams and a few Griffons turned their attention to the crowd. A ball of fire emerged from the crowd, and Tai could tell it was Bart’s weapon, and Port once more prepared his gun.  
  
“Go. And please, inform miss Adel that once this is over I expect an explanation. I thought I already explained her why communication is important on the field.”  
  
Tai nodded “Don’t die on me Pete.”  
  
“As if. Peter Port won’t croak just for a little Grimm invasion.” The mustached professor slapped Taiyang back, and the blonde man started to run. He quickly found the door, the only one to the left. It opened to a series of stairs going both up and down. The tilting had made them hard to follow downward, but Tai started to make his way down.  
  
_‘What are those kids doing?’_  
  
-  
  
“I told you we can help!” Coco shouted, “Are you seriously going to not let us through just for this?”  
  
“I’m sorry miss, but our instructions are clear. Only the Ace-Ops and their superiors are to be allowed beyond this point. Please, head to the evacuation points.”  
  
“What’s the point of evacuating if Amity is going to fall on the city anyway?!” Coco replied, trembling in rage.  
  
Fox shook his head. He could tell Yatsuhashi was feeling uncomfortable, and he partly shared his opinion. It would have definitely been better to evacuate to Beacon. On the other, hand, Coco had been convincing. They did have a good way to help, even if reckless. If it worked, the plan their team leader had come up with could save the city.  
  
_‘Should we just knock them down?’_ He asked in Coco’s mind using his Semblance.  
  
_‘Not if we can avoid it.’_ She answered _‘I wish we could, but if we do it, who knows how their Specialists are going to react.’_  
  
Fox grimaced, then Ada pinged. He listened to the mechanical female voice message and relayed it back to the others. _‘Someone is coming. Walking down from the stairs.’_  
  
They all turned to look to the other hand of the corridor, and soon heard the steps walking forward. The man that stepped in was a blonde man with a stubble and a rather imposing figure. “You team CFVY?” He asked, and they noticed that, despite clearly having run down the tilted stairs, he wasn’t breathing heavily.  
  
“Yes, though one of ours…” Yatsuhashi started, but the man raised his hand.  
  
“Miss Scarlatina is still in Beacon from what Ozpin tells me. I was asked to look for you three and bring you back there.”  
  
“You heard the man kids.” The guard on the right said “Scamper.”  
  
“What did you just call me?” Coco replied, walking closer to the man.  
  
“I… Errr…”  
  
“That’s what I thought.” She grinned, and Fox could not help but shiver. Coco could be scary at times. Case in point when she turned to the man “As for you, I’m glad to hear Velvet is doing well, but we won’t just run away when we can potentially save Vale.”  
  
“You can?” The man asked, raising an eyebrow “And how?”  
  
“The White Fang have bombed the base of the arena to make it fall, planning to destroy the Gravity Dust that keeps it up.”  
  
“And the auxiliary motors I suppose, but you are right. What can you do to help?”  
  
“My Semblance can help. Amity is still falling, so the Gravity Dust didn’t get destroyed entirely. More likely, it’s not enough to hold up the arena. My Semblance powers up Dust. If I use it on the remaining Gravity Dust, we can stop Amity from crashing into Vale, at least for long enough to complete the evacuation and maybe to avoid it falling on Vale entirely.”  
  
Fox saw the man’s eyes widen and could not help but smile. Coco’s idea had merit, him and Yatsuhashi recognized it as well. “Do you have enough Aura?” The man asked.  
  
“I avoided combat for that very reason. I doubt I can hold for much, but every minute counts. Even if it only holds for a few minutes, we can save a lot of people.” The Huntsman – Fox had decided he had to be a Huntsman, given the situation – nodded quickly and turned to the soldiers. “Their plan is solid. Why won’t you let them pass?”  
  
“Orders are to keep out everyone.”  
  
“Are you insane?! People are going to die! Is not like the orders consider the exception of ‘if someone has just the right Semblance at just the right time’! Now let them through.”  
  
“But…”  
  
“Did I stutter?”  
  
The soldiers gulped. Fox could understand. An angry huntsman could be scary, far more than a student, at least as far as perceptions went. If he wanted to, he could unscrew their heads from their shoulders and pass through. Coco probably could too, thinking about it, but the threat wouldn’t sound as believable.  
  
“N-no, sir. Please, go ahead.” The two soldiers moved aside, letting them pass through.  
  
“Good. Move it kids.” The three nodded, following him ahead.  
  
-  
  
Adam sheathed Wilt and stepped forward on the warship’s deck. He scowled looking at the White Fang members lying defeated and scattered around the landed ship. There stood Winter Schnee, surrounded by various Nevermore and three Beowolf of the uncharacteristic white color.  
  
“Winter Schnee.” He said, putting up a smile “I am touched you decided to attack my ship. Atlas has been so generous by gifting us this and then the head of a Schnee.”  
  
“Silence, Taurus. The White Fang has crossed a line. You were already a terrorist group, but this?! How does this help your ‘cause’? Unless the cause is slaughtering people.”  
  
Adam clenched his hand on his sword’s hilt, and shook his head “Sometimes a sacrifice is necessary for a great cause. All those that die today, do so for the sake of a better world.”  
  
“Are you mad?!”  
  
“Of course not. After this, humans will finally fear the Faunus. The Schnee Dust Company will have to surrender to our requests or watch as an Atlesian warship attacks any labor camp they try to set up. Atlas will have to accept our requests, unless they intend to admit one of their ships were taken over by a group they like oh so much to describe as small and weak.”  
  
“You are foolish if you think Atlas will negotiate with a madman!”  
  
“Really? Then why did you come here, instead of attacking Torchwick and the admiral warship he has taken over, from where the Paladins can be controlled?” He smiled “Is it because you put on a scale the damage he could do to Vale and the damage we can do to Atlas, and decided we were the biggest threat? How loyal of you.” The smile faded “How so typically Schnee to look at their own interests rather than those of others.” The Specialist was fuming, he could tell, and he prepared his stance. “No one interfere. She can beat any of you.” He said. The few remaining White Fang members nodded, stepping away.  
  
“I’ll take care of Torchwick right after you.”  
  
“I doubt you’ll get the chance.” Adam replied.  
  
The summons charged forward, as Mountain Glenn started to crack open like an egg.  
  
-  
  
The head of the Ursa fell to the ground and Jaune breathed in relief, only to be silenced as the ground started to shake. He looked up towards the cracking Mountain Glenn, and his eyes widened.  
  
_‘A… Dragon?’_ He thought, stammering, as the great black, red and white Grimm rose from the mountain top and roared as it came down towards the city of Vale, the enormous shadow of the beast against the sun extending over the city. He looked up at the warships and hoped to see them fire, but knew immediately it was an absurd wish. No one there was going to take down the creature.  
  
Jaune tried to think. The White Fang and the Grimm were attacking Beacon, and he had seen the Atlesian bots turn against the city as well. Did that mean that the video was right? Had Atlas turned against Vale along with the White Fang? _‘No, General Ironwood and Professor Ozpin are friends. He wouldn’t betray him, would he?’_ He thought, pondering the situation while taking a breather. _‘I should try to make my way to the Bullheads. The others are probably there anyway if they are making their way back from Amity.’_  
  
Of course, it was also possible that the others were evacuating to the city instead, but with Amity about to fall on a good portion of it, judging by the tilt, that seemed unlikely. Also, he had seen some Bullheads land there, and honestly doubted that the White Fang were just calmly landing there in an orderly fashion, what with the whole ‘launching Grimm off the Bullheads’ thing they had going on.  
  
He looked around the corner, watching a Creep run towards the landing pods… completely ignoring a White Fang patrol. _‘That’s weird.’_ He thought, before starting to sneak his way to the Bullheads. He wished more people were around to fight with, but anyone he had found so far was either running or dead. He grimaced thinking at the students that had been caught without their weapons. Jaune cursed silently the White Fang as he made his way through the cafeteria, deciding to risk crossing it rather than going all the way around.  
  
Only Pyrrha’s training saved him from the axe that almost hit him in the face. He brought up the shield and his aura in time, blocking the attack. He prepared to strike back when he stopped, recognizing his opponent.  
  
“Sky?”  
  
“Arc?” The blue haired teen stopped as well “I thought you were one of those Faunus.”  
  
Jaune chose to ignore the way Sky said Faunus, since it wasn’t the time to focus on that, and instead move the conversation forward “What are you doing here?”  
  
“I stayed in Beacon with Russel when Cardin and Dove left this morning. Then the White Fang attacked…”  
  
“And you decided to hide in here.”  
  
“Hey don’t make it sound like I didn’t fight at all. I’m low on Aura, that’s why I retreated.” He replied showing him his scroll, and pointing to his aura on the verge of going to the red.  
  
“Same here!” Russel added. His Aura was in the low yellow, but there was a point there, Jaune admitted. Russel was never particularly gifted in Aura reserves, so that amount was already enough to worry. The memory of his dream flashed before his eyes for a moment, but he stopped himself from thinking about it. _‘It’s just a dream. Just a dream.’_  
  
“Fine.” Jaune nodded “Here is an idea: we work together and make it to the Bullheads. You two need to get out of here, and I need to find Nora. What do you say?”  
  
The two looked at each other, and Sky was the first to speak. “Are you insane?”  
  
“Oh, come on! Do you want to stay here? There is a fire spreading, sooner or later it will reach the cafeteria!”  
  
“He has a point Sky.” Russel replied “We can’t stay hiding here forever and he makes for a good meat shield.”  
  
The armored teen sighed “Fine, fine. Well then, oh great leader, lead us to victory as you would do to the Invincible Girl. Or was it the other way around?”  
  
Jaune scowled but ignored the taunt, thinking. Going directly through the street meant running into the Paladins, but maybe there was another way.  
  
“The enemies and the fire haven’t reached the CCT yet. If we pass from there, we can then high tail it to the Bullheads cutting through the bushes. We will run in some Grimm, but the White Fang and Atlas’ robots are still fighting their way there.”  
  
“Good idea.” Sky admitted, and the pained expression he made was almost comical to Jaune. It was like he was trying to swallow a bitter pill. “Let’s go.”  
  
Jaune put himself ahead, with Russel watching their back and Sky in the center. It was the most basic positions they could use, the person with most Aura leading on the front, someone that could at least take a blow on the back, and the weaker in the center, but it helped keep at ease. Making their way in the shadow of the cafeteria and then past it in the school halls, they could only experience the dreary screams that so contrasted with the light of day.  
  
Finally, they reached the CCT. The large tower was still relatively free of Atlesian robots and there were no White Fang in sight. The Grimm were there, but even they were clearly still only a vanguard, Beowolves, Boarbatusk and Creeps rather than larger enemies like Ursas or, Brothers forbid, Goliaths. The skies were still filled with Gryphons and Nevermore, but they hopefully would ignore them. Hopefully.  
  
“Well, that’s it.” He said “We run through there” He pointed at the large park of the academy, the green area that stretched past the tower to the edge. “We should be able to sneak to the Bullheads. There I can check if Nora is around and you can get yourself patched up.”  
  
The other two nodded, and Jaune noticed the grasp on their weapon growing tighter. He nodded and they prepared to charge.  
  
Then the large, imposing figure of a Grimm he had never seen before, a horned creature with the head of a lion, the torso and arms of a man and the body of a horse, entered their field of view. Jaune sucked in air as he stared at it. On his back rode a woman with dark hair and burning eyes. As in, one eye was emitting flames, surging from the eyeball and staring around. Jaune felt the danger she emitted, even if from the distance couldn’t recognize her clearly. Until he noticed the young man besides her, filming with his phone. Silver hair. Black trousers. A smile on his face even with everything that was happening. He should have been happy to see them, and yet the situation filled him with dread.  
  
“Good job.” The woman said, and the voice sounded familiar before he realized something weird. The snarls and roars of the Grimm had grown lighter. “The Wyvern will awake soon, Mercury. Make sure to film that as well. The Grimm are doing a good job, but we need to really drive the point home.”  
  
“I certainly will.” His ‘teammate’, Cinder Fall, replied. Jaune felt a wave of confusion.  
  
_‘They are with the Grimm? What… How?! Why?!’_  
  
“Hey Jaune, isn’t that your teammate?” Russel asked, his voice a scared whisper as he eyed the creature of Grimm they had never seen before. Jaune did the same and a second realization hit him. The creature had weapons. A shield on his side, a gigantic blade in his hands, a bow on his human back.  
  
“I’m not sure what’s going on.” He whispered back “I think… I think she is an enemy.”  
  
“So… We attack her?” The teen asked.  
  
“Hell no we don’t.” Sky replied “Have you noticed the Grimm are staying _away_ from her? I’m not going to just charge someone like that.”  
  
Jaune grasped his sword even harder “You are right. I’ll…”  
  
“Wait, she is talking again.” Sky said.  
  
“- and I believe the Fang is going to kill Winter Schnee. All that’s left is to take the prize and we will leave Ozpin without both his current body, a Maiden and a possible Maiden.”  
  
And then it was the monster that spoke. The Grimm they had never seen before, speaking, a voice that left Jaune rattled to his core. “Remember what Master Agahnim said. The Goddesses will not…”  
  
“You ‘Master’ warning are of no interests to me.” Cinder cut him short “Nor those ‘Goddesses’ he seems to believe in. Go take care of the Bullheads and leave me to take care of this.”  
  
The creature frowned, but then turned away, the hooves crashing loudly on the field and rushing to the Bullheads landing point.  
  
“Well. Shit.” Russel’s whispered comment broke the silence “What do we do now?”  
  
“We need to… To take care of something… Either the creature or the woman.” Sky mumbled “Any idea Arc?” The silence that welcomed his words made him turn around “Arc?”  
  
_‘It’s the same. It’s what I saw. It’s the creature… And this situation… That dream…’_  
  
“Arc!” Jaune gasped loudly as Sky shook him, whispering his words, “Don’t chicken out on me now Arc. I hate to say it but you are our best shot to get out of here in one piece, so stop day dreaming and give us a plan. That thing is going for the Bullhead. Where do we go?”  
  
“I…” Jaune looked around, at the Grimm that were now moving once more “Go to the Bullheads, we need to tell them what’s going on. The plan still works. The Grimm are behaving normally, but that… thing that can speak is coming for them.”  
  
“Yeah, seems right. What about the… Wait, you aren’t saying what I think you are saying, right?” Sky asked, staring at him. Russel looked surprised.  
  
“Look, we are the only ones that know what’s going on. There is no telling what she wants to do, but we can’t let the culprit go!”  
  
“And you think you can take her?” Sky’s question was like a slap to the face because of the pure disbelief in it “Look, I understand you have been all excited about Pyrrha Nikos teaching you…”  
  
“How do you know?”  
  
“Our room is right under the roof you train on, genius, we have been betting for months on when we would hear you do some other kind of training, but that’s not the point right now! You aren’t strong Arc! Me and Russel could kick your ass if we put some effort into it!”  
  
“Look, I… I had this weird dream and…”  
  
“This is reality Arc, I don’t care about your delusions!” Sky shook him “Get yourself back together, and stop…”  
  
“Enough!” Jaune moved his hand away from his shoulder “I’m not going to fight her! I just need to figure out something, ok?! You won’t believe it, but I had a dream that showed me this. That showed me the Grimm, and the Paladins, and that _thing_ fighting us. Killing us! I thought it was just that but that can’t be right! I never saw that beast before. None of us has! Do you think it’s just a coincidence?” Sky and Russel both looked at him like he was crazy. To be fair, he would have agreed with them about that. It sounded absolutely absurd, but he remembered the dream vividly. He knew what he had seen, the creature that fought with many students at once, the destruction, the Paladins with a black queen on them… “Look, I will just go see what’s happening. I need to do this, and I’m not asking you to come with me. Just go to the Bullheads!”  
  
Russel nodded “Yup, we are going. I’ll tell hammer girl you have snapped.”  
  
“You would probably be right. Good...” His response was cut by Sky holding him by the shoulder once more.  
  
“Arc, I’m a huntsman in training. I won’t claim I’m brave. Heck, I run from a single Ursa just a few months ago. But I won’t let you die just for a dream. Snap out of it, because you aren’t making any sense!”  
  
_‘Sky Lark, his neck bent and broken to the side unnaturally…’_ The image came back to Jaune’s mind even if he didn’t want to think about it. Was he saving him, or was he condemning him? Was the vision he had seen the future? “Sky, I… I don’t know how to explain this. I’ve seen that Grimm before but none of us has. Something bad is happening, and… I don’t know what to do but… I’ve seen this already. This battle, the Grimm, the Paladins, that creature… I need to do this. I don’t know why but…”  
  
Sky stared at him straight in the eyes, and they locked for a long second, before he let him go. “Go die then.” The other student said, “I don’t know why, but you aren’t lying. You are scared, but you think you have to do this. Do it then.”  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
“I’m sending you to die Arc.” Sky replied, and for the first time Jaune noticed something behind the guy that had been first his bully and then just a classmate he never talked to “I can’t drag you with us without losing time, and you seem convinced for some stupid reason that this is something you have to do. But I’ll tell everyone at the Bullheads. If the redhead smashes me into smithereens I’ll haunt you.”  
  
Jaune nodded. He was doing something insane, he could tell. He didn’t even know why.  
  
He looked outside, and the three rushed in two different directions.  
  
-  
  
Nora looked around the Bullhead landing when the ground shook. Once. Twice.  
  
“An earthquake too? What is going on today?!” She grumbled desperately before caving in the head of a Beowolf that had thought she was distracted. The ground shook again.  
  
“This doesn’t feel like an earthquake…” Aslan mumbled, her dagger planting itself in the skull of a Creep.  
  
Nora really wished Ren or Jaune were here. She did her best to try and keep a positive attitude, but the day was turning into a massacre. Vale was invaded and the Academy had moved past defending into retreating by now. So much for Professor Oobleck’s words. She helped May Zedong up into the closest machine and then turned right back around.  
  
“They are strangely focused on getting to us, aren’t they?” Scarlet asked as his sword cut through the neck of a Gryphon. “I would have thought they’d be more split up.”  
  
“It’s like they are all planning this.” Nolan Porfirio, a student from Mistral, commented, gasping as his cattle prod electrocuted a White Fang member, the Faunus screaming before falling unconscious. Everyone stared at him, and he coughed “I mean, I know it’s impossible, but it’s like these Grimm know this is our only way out. I know the White Fang could tell but the Grimm shouldn’t…” He stopped as the ground shook once more, and then there was a loud crack.  
  
Everyone momentarily turned to Mountain Glenn as a gigantic crack started to open on the mountain side. Like an egg, the mountain seemed to hatch, and from it emerged a Grimm like none they had seen before. Nora felt a chill down her spine as she watched the creature take flight and roar, ink black droplets falling from its body and turning into Grimm upon touching the ground.  
  
_‘What is going on?’_ She wondered, gripping Magnhild tightly. Everyone around her was either shouting or going pale and still, and she could understand them. _‘Why is this happening…’_  
  
“Guys!” A voice shouted, they turned around in time to see three people running towards them. One was Brawnz Ni, Nolan’s teammate, while the others were Russel and Sky, the latter helping the limping Vacuan student. His right leg looked broken, and he had a deep gash on his side.  
  
“Brawnz!” Nolan shouted “Where were you? I lost you when the Nevermore took…”  
  
Brawnz sniffed “I’m… Sorry. I ran after the Nevermore that took Roy and put you and May in danger. Where is she?”  
  
“On a Bullhead headed for the closest shelter with other wounded. Roy?”  
  
The Shade student’s face darkened “I… Lost him. I’m sorry.”  
  
Nolan fell to the ground “What?” He whispered.  
  
“Hey!” Another Huntsman shouted, one of the many fighting to protect the perimeter “If you kids haven’t noticed, we have a situation here! Giant _fucking_ dragon in the sky to mention one! Where did that monster even come from?”  
  
“Shit, the monster!” Russel shouted “I need to tell you! A giant Grimm is coming.”  
  
“Yeah we can see that.” A new voice said, and they looked at Dove moving closer “Where have you two been?!”  
  
“Fighting up in the Academy. Part of the campus is still safe. Safer than this place, anyway. Of course Arc was wrong…” Sky replied, muttering the last sentence.  
  
“Wait, you have seen…” Nora started, but Russel stopped her.  
  
“No time! Jaune is doing something on his own, something about a vision, or dream. He has gone insane probably, sorry to break the news. But yeah, short summary, Cinder Fall is the enemy, she has brought here a big Grimm that can talk and has weapons, and Mercury Black was riding it, and they are coming here!”  
  
“Wait, wait, slow down.” Dove replied “What is coming here?” The Huntsman in question asked  
  
“A… I don’t know! It looks kinda like a Grimm but it speaks and has weapons.”  
  
“Speaks?” The Huntsman frowned, a hand passing through his messy black hair “Well fuck me, the day gets more ridiculous by the second. What is Ozpin doing?” He brought a hand to his hip and took out a flask, downing it before moving his hand to the Scroll. “How long before they are here?” He asked.  
  
Before Russel could reply, there was a sound like a horse charge and everyone turned ahead. A Paladin, one of the few surviving ones after the gruesome fight, was charging their way, when something else charged _through_ it. The jewel of Atlesian technology and the Faunus inside were equally torn to pieces as the creature that, judging by Russel’s incoherent scream was the one he was talking about, started charging against them, a sword in one hand and a shield in another, roaring savagely.  
  
“A few seconds?” Sky asked.  
  
“Ozpin doesn’t pay me nearly enough for this.” The man complained, before his sword mechashifted into a large scythe.  
  
Nora gripped Magnhild tightly, when there was a sound like the cracking of a thunder, followed by a gasp. Everyone turned around to watch Aslan roll on the ground, hit by what seemed to be a arrow crackling with electricity.  
  
“And there is _more_?!” Dove shouted as more of the same Grimm emerged from the side, charging right next to the ravine with bows or swords in hand. Two were red, one was blue, which made her question if they were Grimm at all. Four in total. And they were all strong, Nora could tell.  
  
Nora had never considered death an option once she and Ren had started to fend for themselves together. They had survived for so long, she was sure they could survive anything.  
  
For the first time in years, she wasn’t anymore.  
  
-  
  
Ozpin sipped the last remnants of his coffee, as he waited in the room next to the remains of the Fall Maiden. Well, calling them remains was a bit cruel on his part. Amber had been his student, before she started her phase of rebellion against the authority and tried to go live on her own. And to not be a monster that would cage what amounted to a child, Ozpin had been forced to go along with the charade, though he kept Qrow on her. _‘Another mistake to be added to the pile. Millennia of hindsight don’t really prepare you for anything it seems.’_  
  
The elevator pinged. He had expected the woman to know of the caveau, of course. She must have spied on him and his companions for a long time to figure out where they were keeping the Maiden, so of course she would come straight for them. It was also possible she was feeling a need to search for the other half, but he doubted the power could recognize itself at a glance. Maidens didn’t have some secret sense to perceive each other. All she knew was where he had stashed Amber.  
  
“Welcome.” He said, turning around and slowly putting down the mug “I fear the school is currently not open to visitors, miss Fall, even if they are students from other Academies. Though, I do believe you aren’t really Leonardo’s students. I might make a guess at who really taught you.”  
  
“Ozpin. Salem would be extremely pleased if I killed you.”  
  
“I sincerely doubt it. You are aware of what I am, I suppose.” He looked at her sternly “Though why someone would choose to serve her will always elude me.”  
  
“I would explain, but I’d rather be done with this. The animals and the Grimm will only buy me so long, and my needs are…” She paused, her eyes finally focusing on Amber. Ozpin couldn’t help but smirk. “She is…”  
  
“Dead. Deceased. No longer with us. Off to the far shore. I do not expect you to feel any remorse, but know I feel enough for both.” He replied “Amber was cursed by my mistakes, like so many others have been and will be.”  
  
“What did you do…” She asked, angrily.  
  
“I took the power back.” He lied. A bold lie, since Salem would have probably known he didn’t have enough magic to do something like that. Of course, that depended on whether she had told Cinder.  
  
“You are lying. She said you couldn’t.”  
  
He gritted his teeth. “I see she prepared you more than I expected.” He replied, preparing his cane “Still, it’s not for you to know what happened to the power Amber once wielded. You aren’t going to be a Maiden for long, after all.”  
  
He rushed forward and she blocked his cane with a sword that formed out of thin air. He moved his free arm around, grabbing her other arm just as a second blade rushed out of it. He felt his skin burn, like he was grasping a piece of burning wood, and kicked, forcing her back. Looking at his hand, he saw it burnt, and felt the smell of scalded flesh. _‘Heat control. A troublesome Semblance.’_  
  
She was angry, he noticed as she swiped at him with the twin blades, forcing him back. And she was a skilled fighter, even if without the Maiden powers she had no hope against him. “Give it back!”  
  
“It’s not mine to give, miss Fall.” He calmly replied, hitting with the tip of his cane multiple times and sending her fly back “I will merely make sure to give it to the proper bearer.”  
  
She grunted, and charged forward. The fight grew intense, her attacks going from ferocious to desperate as he hit time and time again.  
  
He was still pushing forward. For Vale, for his students, and for everything he had built in his life. He wasn’t going to let Salem win.  
  
-  
  
She was losing. Cinder Fall could tell that with only half of the Maiden Power she was at a disadvantage against an immortal wizard. Plumes of fire, arrows and “Velvet Scarlatina.” She hissed after a particularly painful hit to the rib “I sent Mercury to hunt her down to kill her.”  
  
“How unfortunate for you. He will not manage to.”  
  
She grinned “I see.” So she really is the one then.”  
  
“It won’t matter. I’m going to kill you first and then protect Miss Scarlatina with my life if it comes to it.”  
  
_‘She is close enough he knows he can make it in time. She is the holder of the Maiden powers. And if I had to guess…’_ She knew Ozpin wanted to keep his pieces close whenever possible. The Maiden was the most precious. _‘Still in this tower. But I need to get rid of him first.’_  
  
She sliced with her blades, changing midway the left one in a block to stop the incoming thrust of the cane and going in for the right with a ferocious hit that should have cut Ozpin in half. Instead, a barrier came out of nowhere, stopping the blade and sending her back. _‘Damn wizard.’_ She thought, grunting as she stood back up and jumped back moving out of the way of the cane’s impact, watching the ground crack. _‘There must be something to destroy him…’_  
  
Then she remembered. The gift. Her hand fumbled with her hidden pocket and she pulled out the small orb. Fire was still crackling inside, along with the eye. _‘To destroy anything in my path, uh?’_ She asked, as Ozpin attacked her and she frantically defended herself with her remaining blade.  
  
“Do it then.” She said, and threw the orb to the ground, shattering it on impact.  
  
For a moment, she thought the pitiful flame inside would wimper and die, the eye in the center getting squished by one of their feet soon after. Instead, the flame instantly exploded in a roaring inferno before taking shape. Fire seemed to become of flash and bones as the beast grew to fill the room, roaring its challenge. Cinder looked in terror and amazement as a beast with a long, swiping tail, a body large enough to make a Goliath look small, and a mask of metal covering its face, opened it’s mouth, and its mouth was fire, a large orb of fire flying towards Ozpin. The ancient Wizard moved out of the way, protecting himself, but nothing else was spared, the fire becoming Amber’s funeral pyre.  
  
“What have you done?!” Ozpin shouted.  
  
As she watched the beast that she could only call a monster rush to attack once more, its tail destroying the columns of the room and striking Ozpin’s shield, Cinder could only rush away. She told herself she wanted the prize, but the truth was different.  
  
For the first time in many, many years, she was scared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's baaaack! *Sound of readers' guns pointing at me*
> 
> But no, seriously, so sorry. December was an hell of a month and I couldn't focus on both of my fics, but this is back for real. 100%, no enormous hiatus anymore. The Fall Trilogy will be more interesting if read in a row, and I won't make it too long of a pause between chapters.
> 
> So, this chapter. Oh boi, So much going on. The big stuff of course is Jaune following is vision, because things are going to shit and he isn't going to question a vision that was right until now if it means saving his friends, and Cinder deciding that summoning a Helmesaur King is a good idea. Well good luck with that Ozpin and Beacon.


	19. Fall 2: Flames

Taiyang was the first to enter the room, the kids following close behind. It was gigantic. The large dome above their head was about the size of the whole arena, but what really was surprising was how deep it was. This was the access point to the large Gravity Dust reserves that were supposed to keep the Arena lifted above the ground, and thus the room went directly down to where normally the crystals were lodged.  
  
Right now, while parts of the Dust Crystal was still there, much more had been sent flying by the explosion. Gravity Dust wasn’t as volatile as other types were, thankfully, otherwise the explosion would have completely obliterated the reserve and instantly brought down Amity. Instead, about half of the Crystal was gone, either exploded or currently hovering in pieces around the room, while the larger piece was still lodged in its place, a few feet down and with the left side more damaged, explaining the tilting of the arena.  
  
“Alright!” Coco said “We just need to get to the elevator and we can…”  
  
“Halt!” A voice shouted. A woman, judging by the sound. They turned to the direction of it, and saw two individuals in Atlesian Specialist uniform moving forward. A tall woman, armed with a great mechashifting war hammer, and a thin man that looked short next to her, but was actually quite tall, stepped forward.  
  
“Can we help you?” He asked, and at a glance Tai could tell he was looking at a trained Huntsman prepared to fight.  
  
“My name is Taiyang Xiao Long. I’m a retired Huntsman and a teacher at Signal Academy, and those are Coco Adel, Yatsuhashi Daichi and Fox Alistair, students of Beacon Academy.” He introduced quickly “We are here to help.”  
  
“No offense, sir, but I doubt you can help in any way.” The man replied “It would be best if you just…”  
  
“Wait, wait, wait!” He raised his hand “I can’t really help, but she can.” He pointed at Coco Adel, “Her Semblance can power-up Dust to make it stronger. She could use it on the Gravity Dust and propel us. At the very least, we could try to have Amity fall into the sea, or the Emerald Forest.”  
  
For a long moment, the two Specialists just stared at him, then the thin man nodded “Very well, follow us.”  
  
“Vine, you can’t just…”  
  
“I’m in command until we can get in contact with the General, Winter, or Clover back in Atlas. Inaction would cause a disaster Elm.”  
  
“We don’t even know if it’s safe!” Elm shouted “They might be lying. They might be connected with the White Fang!”  
  
“We are citizens of Vale trying to help you!” Taiyang shouted “What would be the point of going through a charade like this? The Arena is already falling!”  
  
“He has a point.” Vine said “They wouldn’t need to do this if they wanted to cause damage.”  
  
Elm looked at him, then back at Taiyang and the three students, before slowly nodding “If I think there is anything strange with you, I am going to break your legs.”  
  
Tai nodded, and Vine sighed. “Please, follow us.”  
  
They were taken to an elevator that lowered them further. The control room below was an hub of activity, with a large number of Atlesian soldiers and a few men that were probably technicians working hard.  
  
“All the main systems of movement are down, but the emergency routines allow limited changes of course.” One of them shouted.  
  
“See if you can figure out a way to stabilize us.”  
  
“The rotoscope is losing more control!” A man shouted just as the ground shifted slightly under their feet.  
  
“Do your thing now.” Elm said when they reached the center of the room. The enormous crystal, Tai noticed, was actually just a container for show. Of course. In nature, there wasn’t a single piece of dust that big, and even if there was, it would have been a terrible waste to use it like this, not to mention it would have been irreplaceable if it broke or exhausted itself. Rather, the giant crystal was a container shaped like one, and inside were the real bars of Gravity dust, connected to each other and to the machine that made the arena work. The pieces of Dust floating in the room, he could now see from below, were actually the pieces of the container with enough dark dust still attached, while more was hovering on the floor, sometimes forcing them to push some out of the way of their faces.  
  
“Alright! Step aside and let miss Adel do her magic.” Coco exclaimed as her hand moved forward, but Tai could notice her nervousness as she put her hand on the largest bar of Gravity Dust she could find.  
  
“Can you power them all up at once?” Tai asked.  
  
“Yes, it’s not that different from powering up the whole magazine of Gianduja. Except, you know, for the size. That’s some powerful Dust.”  
  
“First quality.” Elm intervened “We only use the best Dust the Kingdom of Atlas could provide.”  
  
“And I bet Vale had to pay handsomely for that privilege…” Coco laconically commented before starting to push her Semblance in the crystals. All the crystals shone brightly at once, producing a purple light that invaded the room. Tai noticed the girl starting to sweat.  
  
“Can she really hold it?” He asked.  
  
“Her Semblance allows it, but we told her it would probably take a toll on her Aura really fast.” Fox replied, furrowing his brow “We need to act fast!” He added loudly shouting at the soldiers and technicians, who were staring in awe at the girl.  
  
“Move it, quickly!” Elm shouted, “How is it going?”  
  
“We are regaining altitude, but stability is only at sixty-seven percent. We can’t afford to lose anymore or we will tip over.”  
  
“I don’t care if we tip, I just want to make sure we don’t fall on Vale.”  
  
“We can probably maneuver to crash on the outside of the walls in ten minutes.” Another technician, the one working with the controls, shouted.  
  
“I would suggest going a bit faster!” Coco shouted. Yatsuhashi, staring at his Scroll, frowned.  
  
“How long do we have.”  
  
“Six minutes, more or less. Probably less.”  
  
“Six minutes…” Elm muttered something, but Vine stepped forward.  
  
“Aim for a part of the city with less houses.”  
  
“That will still kill someone!” Taiyang protested, walking up to him only to be stopped by the woman.  
  
“Better a few than many!” Elm replied. “You have a better idea?”  
  
Tai scrawled his mind. A place where it could fall and cause the least damage…  
  
“How long would it take to reach the sea?”  
  
“Less than ten minutes. We could crash in the port, but there would be people trying to evacuate to Patch there.”  
  
“Decide fast!” Coco shouted.  
  
Tai thought hard. Where was the safest place, the one where there would be no people, in a place like Vale, where population issues were the most important problem to solve for the Council…  
  
“Beacon!” He shouted, “Can you crash us on the fields outside of Beacon Academy? It doesn't matter if the whole arena doesn't fit, so long as we avoid a disaster!”  
  
“That would also hit the Academy!”  
  
“And there are students fighting there!”  
  
“We can send a message to tell them to get away!” Tai replied in desperation.  
  
“And what about the CCCT, are you forgetting it’s there too? If it comes down…”  
  
“Atlas can rebuild it, but we can’t save all of Vale otherwise, can we?”  
  
Elm and Vine looked at each other, than at the technicians “How long to crash near Beacon?”  
  
“Four minutes, the Arena was already close and…”  
  
“Do it, but try to keep us away from the tower. If we hit the cliffs, try to push forward. Best case scenario, we stuck ourselves on them.”  
  
“Yes sir!”  
  
“Soldiers, keep the Gravity Dust constantly fueled. You” Elm pointed at Yatsuhashi “The moment one minute is left, tell us and we will evacuate before the crash. You” She turned to point at Coco “Make sure to keep your Semblance going as long as possible.”  
  
“What do we do?” Taiyang asked as Fox nodded next to him.  
  
“Keep an eye on those three.” She replied, “I need all the soldiers ready to help here, so they might try and escape.”  
  
“Who…” Tai turned in the direction she was pointing at, and noticed three students he hadn’t noticed until now, cuffed next to some crates, sitting there quietly.  
  
“Team FNKI…” Fox realized, venom in his voice.  
  
“We captured them for interrogation regarding their friend.” Vine explained “We want to know if that Neon was really a White Fang member or not.”  
  
“She wasn’t!” The kid that now Tai recognized as the Team leader shouted “Neon hated the White Fang!”  
  
“The world has seen otherwise.” Elm commented “Now keep silent and sit there.”  
  
Tai looked at them. He felt a bit of pity, but he wondered if they were right about what their team member thought. He knew for experience that sometimes the closest people could lie to you.  
  
-  
  
“How long do you plan to stall this duel?!” Adam shouted as he cut in two a Summoned Grimm from Atlas, a Manticore. The creature roared and disappeared into white mist, and he turned to Winter Schnee in time to see a group of large Beowolves charging at him.  
  
“Long enough.” Winter calmly replied. Adam roared as he chopped through another Grimm, then another, then another. He grunted as a flock of Nevermores hit him all over before he unleashed a series of quick slices, chopping them all to pieces and turning to a large Beowolf that was cut in half a moment before he could hit. _‘I see what your plan is.’_ He thought, chopping and slicing through more Nevermore and another Manticore clawed at him before he bisected its face. _‘You want to drain my Aura before I can get in close quarters, so you will have a chance.’_  
  
It was the most sensible choice, but she was also consuming a large portion of her own Aura to do that, but she probably was aware that Adam’s own Semblance allowed him to cut through Aura with ease, and was willing to sacrifice most of it in exchange of draining his. A bold strategy, almost suicidal, but something he could expect a Specialist to consider.  
  
He charged forward. If she wanted to drain him, the obvious choice was to not allow that. He ignored the stream of Nevermore that flew around him, ignored their sharp beaks and claws trying to poke his flesh, and sliced at Winter. The woman dodged to the side and sliced herself, but Wilt simply deviated the strike and moved forward. The hidden blade inside Winter’s saber came out in time for her to black the attack and use the force of his own impact to move back.  
  
 _‘She is actually a decent fighter, more than I had originally expected.’_ He though as he thinned the Nevermore flock. _‘And she knows how my Semblance works, guess Atlas does its research. I cannot absorb her attacks effectively. Moonslice is stronger the more powerful the attacks I’m hit with are, and none of those were enough to fuel it for more than one burst.’_  
  
Adam grunted and charged forward. If she wanted to see him go all out, he was going to. If finesse wouldn’t do it, he was going to use brute strength for once. Winter frowned as he charged forward and created a Glyph to stop him, but he broke through it and unleashed Moonslice. Winter dodged, but the weapon grazed her arm, and she grunted as her Aura managed to live her skin wounded. He grinned and attacked, a quick series of strikes that cut down her Aura even more, and Adam smiled as he turned one more thrust into a kick with his right leg, sending Winter rolling on the floor, choking. He walked up to her and hit her once more with his foot, locking her on the ground.  
  
“Any last word?” He asked, raising his hand.  
  
“Die, Taurus.”  
  
He chuckled, then felt something hit his Aura and coughed, stepping forward, an arm on his back as he turned around and decapitated the Beowolf.  
  
“The Glyph was a summoning one, uh?” He asked, laughing “A smart move, but desperate. Not much Aura left, isn’t that right?”  
  
“I did what I had to.” She defiantly replied.  
  
“You die, Schnee.”  
  
“You too, Taurus.” She replied.  
  
Then the ship rocked as an explosion thundered on the side. “What?!” Taurus shouted, turning around in time to see the other ship charge an attack towards them. “Get me in contact with Torchwick! Now!” He shouted.  
  
-  
  
“If it helps my case, General, I really enjoyed your cells. Minimalistic but very comfortable. If I could just show you how much I- _gagh_.” General Ironwood closed his metallic grip around the man’s neck just a bit more. “Ok… I get it… No talking…” The criminal replied, and he squeezed a bit more.  
  
“Speak when I say you can. Tell your henchman to drop your weapon and you will get out of this alive.”  
  
“Neo, you heard the General, be a nice girl and put down Melodic Cudgel.” He replied, and Neo obeyed, letting go the cane she had picked up to try and keep him at bay. Hush had been rendered useless when she had made the mistake of striking his metallic arm, only to have it blocked and pulled out of her hands. She was an excellent fighter, and the General was willing to admit she had given him a hard time, but even if she had massacred every Atlesian soldier, she wasn’t completely unscathed, and against him and Penny, that had cost her. He looked down at the thief, and activated his Semblance. No longer burdened by hesitation, he smashed his head on the ground, making him lose consciousness immediately and aiming Due Process at his back before Neo could react.  
  
Penny gasped. “General, that’s excessive!”  
  
Ironwood ignored the gynoid and looked right at Neo’s eyes. “I could execute him here and now, or you can stay put and be quiet.” He said, and he meant it.  
  
Torchwick was just a pawn of Salem and Cinder, he had always been, and fighting the girl until she went down was going to cost the General time he didn’t have. Even if he sent Penny to do it for him, she was skilled, and he couldn’t risk the future protector of Atlas for some overtrained thief. He had a White Fang cell and a dragon to shoot out of the sky. Torchwick and Neopolitan were going to be the lucky member of this conspiracy and spend the rest of their life in an Atlesian cell. He didn’t care. Neopolitan stared at him with an unimpressed look, pointing at her mouth eloquently. He did not react, instead keeping his gun aimed at Torchwick while his now free hand moved to the controls of the airship. The cannons were loaded, so he took aim on Taurus airship and fired. He didn’t feel any hesitation. His Semblance wouldn’t allow it.  
  
Penny realized what was happening a moment before he pressed the button, but by then it was too late.  
  
 _‘Farewell, Winter. Your sacrifice won’t be forgotten.’_  
  
The airship fired.  
  
-  
  
Nora pirouetted and Magnhild smashed against the shield of the incoming unknown Grimm, only for her to be the one sent back when the large lion-centaur pushed her away. The creature wasn’t completely unscathed, but it was far from worn out.  
  
She quickly turned her weapon in a grenade launcher and fired her last four shots, but the blue creature moved back slightly, almost like it was merely annoyed by a projectile strong enough to kill most normal Grimm.  
  
“What are they made of?!” Nolan shouted as he barely dodged a blade that otherwise would have decapitated him.  
  
“I don’t know but it’s tough.” The scythe wilding Huntsman commented out loud. He was facing the larger one, the silver maned beast that had effortlessly cut through a Paladin. He was clearly in the back foot, only surviving out of what seemed like random cases of bad luck for his opponent, like swinging just a bit too low and getting its weapon stuck in the ground for a moment or a stray shot from an Atlesian robot hitting his arm as it was shielding itself. Nora had only noticed those two, busy as she was, but she was sure there had been more.  
  
“Nolan, charge me up!” Nora shouted, and Nolan looked at her.  
  
“Are you sure? We already did it once.”  
  
“Give me more electricity then, I don’t care!”  
  
Nolan nodded and hit her with his weapon, while Arslan and Sun jumped in to keep at bay the two monsters. One of Sun’s clones was cut in half, the other exploded in the monster’s face in time for the young man to hit him with the staff form of his weapon to block the incoming blade quickly before mechashifting into the nunchakus, slamming both in the creature’s face.  
  
Nora charged forward the moment Nolan let her go and didn’t miss a moment, Magnhild coming down with the power of a meteor, her body charged by electricity. The impact sent the monster staggering back, his shield crashed, but still standing.  
  
“Alright!” She shouted “Now that’s what I call a charge Nolan!”  
  
“Think we can do this?” Sun asked, standing next to her.  
  
“I hope so.” She replied, before looking up as she heard a sound. The dragon started to fly above them, heading for the school. “Not against that one though.”  
  
“Yeah… that’s a bit above our grade I think.” Sun commented while dodging the sword of the blue creature. Next to them, Arslan planted her dagger in the red monster’s eye, making it roar in pain.  
  
“We can do this!” She shouted, kicking his chin before using its torso as a step to jump back and land back on the ground. A series of shots from behind, from other huntsmen and students that weren’t busy holding back the Grimm, hit the red monster.  
  
“Alright, we are doing this. How long do we need to hold this line?!” Arslan asked.  
  
“Until Ozpin shows up!” Another huntsman shouted.  
  
“Well I hope he gets moving.” She commented, as the ground shook under her feet.  
  
-  
  
Jaune entered in the room using the elevator and entered in the Headmaster’s office, completely dark. _‘This is insane…’_ He told himself for the sixth time in the last minute. He was following a prophetic dream, and for what? A sword? He had Crocea Mors already, why would he need more?  
  
The thoughts were stopped when someone grabbed him by the neck and held him tightly. He reflexively followed Pyrrha’s instructions and tried to walk back to slam his mysterious assailant against the wall. Whoever they were, they noticed, planting their feet. He felt himself suffocate and tried to weasel his hand between the arm and the neck, and gasped when his iron gloved fingers managed to push through, before using the other hand to try and grab his assailant’s head.  
  
He found the hair and pulled, finally getting a shout out of the girl.  
  
A familiar shout. And when he moved his hand to try and confirm it, he found the appendages he was looking for.  
  
“Velvet… It’s me…. Jaune…” He managed to say, gasping for air the moment the girl let him go with a startled cry.  
  
“Jaune! Oh I’m so sorry!” The girl helped him up, “Professor Ozpin said to take down anyone that walked in unless they were my friends.”  
  
“Well now I feel disappointed.” He said with a weak chuckle.  
  
“Not in that sense! We were waiting for my teammates!” She replied, and Jaune stared at the girl that had just almost suffocated him.  
  
“Velvet that’s… The school is overrun by Grimm.”  
  
“Yeah I noticed from the window. I think Professor Ozpin wasn’t expecting the school to be overrun this quickly. He’s probably going to help us out of here once he’s back.”  
  
Jaune nodded, sighing in relief. With the Headmaster of Beacon on their side, they were sure to make it back to the Bullheads and out of the schoolgrounds.  
  
“I see. Hey Velvet, can I ask you a question?” He asked, as he looked at the Faunus.  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“Since when do you have a sword?” He asked, pointing at her hip. She looked down at the blade in surprise.  
  
“Oh, right. Professor Ozpin said to take this for later. He had it on his desk before.” She said, “I’m not sure why though, I tried to look at it but it won’t come out of the scabbard. It’s like someone stuck it in there.”  
  
“Weird.” Jaune commented, looking at his own scabbard, the shield with the Arc family crest on it collapsed to house the sword. “I guess it’s some heirloom or something.”  
  
“Yeah, I don’t think it can mechashift either, and…” The ground shook. It was like an earthquake had started right under the school. They staggered, almost falling to the ground.  
  
“What was that?” Jaune asked.  
  
“I don’t know, it sounds like a roar. But what…” She stopped and stiffened, her hand moving on the camera on her hip. “Someone is coming.”  
  
Jaune nodded and pulled out his sword, while staring at the wall at the end of the Headmaster's Office. After a moment, he heard the sound of the elevator reaching the top, and the door opened. A woman with black hair walked out, a flame on her right eye as she stared unimpressed at the two of them. “How gallant.” She commented, “A knight came to rescue the princess at the top of the tower from the evil witch.”  
  
Jaune’s grip on his sword grew tighter, but he felt the rage start to boil “Why are you doing this?”  
  
“I’m here for the Maiden, that is all that concerns you.” She said.  
  
 _‘Maiden? What does she mean?’_ He looked at Velvet, who was trembling slightly as she held up the camera.  
  
“What happened to Professor Ozpin?” The rabbit Faunus asked, “Where is he?”  
  
“Your Headmaster is busy. Permanently.” Cinder’s wry smile sent a chill down Jaune’s back.  
  
“You…”  
  
“I. Now girl, how will you do this? Will you give up or do I have to beat you into submission?” She looked up to Jaune “As for you, boy, you are free to leave. I don’t care about you, and you will probably be eaten by a Creep before you make it back home.”  
  
Velvet moved her hands, taking a defensive stance “I’m not letting you kill me.”  
  
Jaune for a fleeting moment felt the desire to leave. To run away. But then raised Crocea Mors and took his stance. “I’m not going anywhere.”  
  
Cinder looked at them with disgust. “Idiots.”  
  
And she attacked.  
  
-  
  
Velvet dodged to the side, avoiding the incoming blade and using Anesidora to create a weapon. Her Semblance and weapon synergized immediately, with the Gambol Shroud made of hard light immediately feeling familiar in her hands like she had trained her whole life to use it. She blocked a dagger and fired a shot back that Cinder lazily blocked with her bare hand before ignoring Jaune’s sword and kicking Velvet in the chest, too fast for her to block.  
  
The girl was sent flying and crashed in Professor Ozpin’s desk, standing back on her feet just as Gambol Shroud disappeared, in time to watch Jaune get kicked away as well, against the wall.  
  
Anesidora quickly created a new weapon, Penny’s blades opening like the tail of a peacock behind her back as she moved forward before assuming the shape of a circle and impacting on Cinder’s body. This time, she could tell the woman was more worried, as she made two blades manifest out of thin air, heat crackling through their length as she attacked, parrying the various blade of hard light before throwing one her way and blocking and incoming attack with the other. Velvet realized just in time that the swords were too far extended to block the blade in time and instead made them disappear before forming Ember Cilica and Yang’s fighting style. She ducked under the blade and rushed forward, hitting Cinder with a rain of fists that the woman managed to hold against with bare hands.  
  
Velvet spotted Jaune charge Cinder from behind in time and grappled her quickly putting her hand around the woman’s wrists. Jaune’s Crocea Mors came down on Cinder’s back.  
  
And then the other hand grabbed it and twisted. Jaune’s grip was strong, but something happened as the entirety of the blade started to shine bright and Jaune screamed, reflexively letting the blade go.  
  
Cinder quickly turned it around, holding it by the handle, and hammered at Velvet’s head with it. The rabbit girl let her go and changed weapon again, as Jaune made a futile attempt to ram Cinder with the shield that was stopped by his own sword slamming against it.  
  
Velvet’s hand were quickly gripped around a copy of Gianduja and she fired. The rain of bullets from the minigun forced Cinder to jump out of the way, but Velvet knew she was at a disadvantage here. Cinder had received close to no damage, meanwhile she was consuming dust and Jaune had been slammed against the walls and floor, not to mention disarmed.  
  
Gianduja disappeared and she switched it to Crescent Rose, moving in pirouetting like Ruby and slicing at Cinder, who in response merely smiled as she ducked under the giant scythe and hit Velvet no less than three times with an incandescent Crocea Mors as she recoiled, gasping for air. Jaune, recoiling from a hit he had barely blocked, moving next to her.  
  
“She is… so strong…” He said, gasping. Velvet had to agree.  
  
“And I only have half of the Maiden power! Imagine how much more powerful I will be when I can use them fully.” Cinder commented, as she grinned pointing Crocea Mors forward.  
  
“Give me back my sword!” Jaune shouted.  
  
“I would, but I fear it won’t be useful for much longer.” She replied, and the heat of the blade seemed to grow. Jaune let out a desperate shout as his sword, that Velvet knew was a family heirloom and probably the object he treasured the most, liquefied and fell on the ground, the hilt falling on a puddle of fused steel. The boy’s shoulders slumped, and Velvet roared angrily. She knew full well how much the weapons meant to every student in Beacon: her own weapon was designed around that premise. To see one destroyed in front of her made her go in a blind rage.  
  
And she felt a surge of power come forward as her eye lighted in a flame. She pointed her hand forward, and she felt the small cloud forming behind her and a lightning inside it fly towards Cinder. The woman recoiled before her own eyes lighted of that same flame and she pointed forward. A sound like a screech came from under Velvet’s feet and she jumped out of the way dragging Jaune with her just as an explosion of fire burst from the ground.  
  
“Here!” She shouted, unbuckling the sword Ozpin had handed to her and passing it to Jaune. “It won’t come out but it should at least hurt her if you bash her in the head.”  
  
Jaune nodded and grabbed the sword. Cinder was on them a moment later, separating the two using a kick to send Jaune rolling backward and an elbow in the gut to make Velvet keel over. The rabbit girl turned around in time to see an explosion form under Jaune and shouted uselessly as the young man was hit by the fire and sent down on the floor.  
  
The tower shook and suddenly went darker, as Velvet jumped back and tried to use the Maiden powers again. A flash in her mind showed her people she didn’t know, places she hadn’t been to, the back of an horse she had never seen running around Vale, and she created Oobleck’s Antiquity’s Roast. The flamethrower felt natural in her hand, not because of her Semblance but because it felt like a staff she had never wielded.  
  
She aimed it forward and fire burst out, created by her Dust but really amplified by her magic, fanning flames larger than anything she had ever seen Doctor Oobleck create. Cinder responded with her own flames, and for a moment Velvet was winning, her heart beating faster as the flames grew, until the moment passed and she felt weaker as the flames stopped and Antiquity’s Roast disappeared. In that moment there was a screech from outside the window. Velvet turned around and gasped realizing why the room looked darker.  
  
The giant dragon was roosted outside, looking in the room with his three pairs of eyes, his black and white head enough to cover all the windows.  
  
Velvet was distracted for a moment, but it was enough for her opponent to hit her with three arrows. The last one was too much for her Aura and broke through, entering in the shoulder. Velvet shouted as she felt the wound start to burn, and quickly pulled out the arrow before using her weapon once more to create StormFlower in a desperate attempt to defend herself. The dual gunshots were lazily blocked by Cinder, who then kicked her.  
  
“End of the line, Scarlatina.” She said, planting her foot on her stomach. Velvet gasped as the woman’s heel pressed in her gut.  
  
“I… haven’t… lost… yet…” She said. Sun’s pistols started to manifest in her hand but Cinder pressed down with her heel once more and she shouted.  
  
“But you have.” Cinder replied, kicking her down once more before she took a step back and created her bow from nothing.  
  
-  
  
Jaune felt numb as he stood up shakily. In front of him, Velvet was on the ground, Cinder holding her down with her foot. He couldn’t here what they were saying, his hearing still numbed by the explosion that had hit him before. He wasn’t dead or dying only thanks to his Aura reserves being his only good quality in a fight.  
  
He looked at the sword in his hand and pulled. He needed a sword proper to try and save Velvet, anything.  
  
The sword slid out.  
  
The light that followed it blinded him. The dragon outside the window screeched and looked away. Cinder shouted as the bow in her hands clattered on the floor, before turning towards him in rage.  
  
“You think you can save her, you worthless…” She stopped.  
  
His response stopped too.  
  
Three more Jaune stood up in front of him, each with a different colored hoodie under their armor. They all looked virtually identical to him, apart from that and the color of their eyes, ranging from green, to red, to a deeper shade of blue. Each of them was holding a sword like the one he had, and a shield identical to Crocea Mors'.  
  
"Pleasure to meet you." The blue one said.  
  
"Kinda pathetic, aren't you?" The red one commented.  
  
The green one said nothing, merely grinning.  
  
“Well, this is new.” He commented as the tower shook once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, and after the Embers, here go the Flames. Boy those Fall chapter are an interesting thing to write.
> 
> The Fall is interesting to write. I have a total of four locations to handle, each with their own challenge. It's real fun but I'm so glad I had it planned out long in advance.
> 
> You thought I forgot in this timeline Penny was still around uh? (Or maybe not, who knows.) But yeah, I had her and General Ironwood retake Torchwick's airship while Adam was busy stroking his ego fighting Winter in a one v one. Though to be fair, Adam couldn't know the General would use Winter, a Specialist and a Schnee family member, as bait.
> 
> And I finally answered the question on where Team F_KI was, that's good.
> 
> Boy Velvet and Jaune v Cinder was hard to write. She had the upper hand the entire time since Velvet doesn't really have control on her powers and Jaune might not be totally useless but he is the weakest fighter in the room and it shows, but I didn't want it to be too onesided to the point of it being a curbstomp, and I wanted to give both half-Fall Maiden a chance to show off. I hope I hit a decent balance.
> 
> I feel bad for destroying Crocea Mors, but eh, one must do what one must do at times. At least he got the Four Sword in exchange. Why not the Master Sword? Find out in the future!


End file.
